


I'll Give Up Our Treasure

by colourfulworld



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27173257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/colourfulworld/pseuds/colourfulworld
Summary: Park Seonghwa thought he was blessed; living with his seven close friends whom he cherished as family, as they followed their leader Kim Hongjoong and helped him rule the kingdom of Aurora.However, when Seonghwa is accused of treason, he is executed, by the only family he could call home, and shattering the bond they held since childhood. At his final moment before death, Seonghwa made one last decision."If I was ever reborn, I wish I never cherished you so much."Now, watch as Seonghwa is thrown back in the past a year before his untimely death, and his efforts to distance himself from the ones he thought he could trust the most. Can Seonghwa change his predestined fate, or will he be forced to suffer the same betrayal again?
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Everyone, Choi San/Everyone, Jeong Yunho/Everyone, Jung Wooyoung/Everyone, Kang Yeosang/Everyone, Kim Hongjoong/Everyone, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, Park Seonghwa/Everyone, Song Mingi/Everyone
Comments: 39
Kudos: 99





	1. Aurora

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, new story that I've been wanting to work on for awhile. Big inspiration from all the isekai and reincarnation mangas/webtoons I've been reading for awhile (also stan Ateez). Please enjoy! Hopefully chapter uploads will be consistent, but let's wait and see how this does :)

Park Seonghwa always believed that he was blessed. If not, he wouldn't have encountered the seven boys that filled his life with such joy. 

The eight of them have grown up together as children in the large kingdom of Aurora, chasing butterflies, hunting and dreaming of going on adventures outside their cozy village. 

Seonghwa could remember the faces of his friends, no, family, which whom he cherished with all of his heart. 

Jongho, with his strength, who would grow up to be the best sword fighter and knight in the kingdom and help train other knights for combat. 

Wooyoung, with his magic, who would become a powerful mage working for the council and provide the kingdom with an everlasting source of magic. 

Mingi, with his comedic jokes and kind nature with children, who would become the court entertainer and run the royal daycare and orphanage.

San, with his agility and speed, who would become the best known assassin (under a different name) secretly protecting the king in the shadows. 

Yeosang, with his sharp wit, who would become the royal navy's top navigator and the kingdom's top strategist. 

Yunho, with his healing abilities, who would become the kingdom's top healer and tend to the sick and injured. 

Hongjoong, who is destined and would become the future ruler of the kingdom of Aurora, succeeding his father and bringing forth a new era of peace for the citizens. 

And then Seonghwa, who would become Hongjoong's royal advisor and right hand man, in charge of all the kingdom's bookkeeping and looking after the rest of their family. 

The eight of them, devoted to protecting each other and the kingdom of Aurora making them an unstoppable force due to the bonds they've shared since childhood. 

Yet, there was one day which Seonghwa regretted for the remainder of his life. 

The day he was sentenced to death...by the same family he swore to protect and cherish forever.

"Why did this happen?"


	2. Illusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Present day. Seonghwa looks at his current situation and painfully reminisces about the events leading up to his arrest and death sentence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter was mostly the prologue! First chapter is officially up! I hope to upload a chapter each Saturday if possible. Please enjoy! 
> 
> WARNING: Mentions of DECAPITATION and CHARACTER DEATH. If you are uncomfortable with this sensitive content, I STRONGLY suggest you NOT READ THIS. 
> 
> YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

= Seonghwa P.O.V. =

Seonghwa could hear the sound of the prison door open, the hinges screeching as they gave way to the three figures entering his cell. 

Seonghwa shivered quietly, his eyes blearily opening as he gazed up at the familiar flash of red hair. He squinted, eyes still adjusting to the new light pouring in from the entrance of the cell, and slowly making out the distinct jawline and button nose. 

Kim Hongjoong. The king of the kingdom of Aurora, who brought peace and prosperity to the country after succeeding his estranged father, who died of illness 4 years previously, shortly after the long decades of war.

The man that Seonghwa had stood beside as his advisor, a brother, as family. 

The same man who ordered his arrest and execution. 

Hongjoong made eye contact with Seonghwa, who met his eyes dully; none of them spoke a word. The king, without breaking eye contact, gestured to the guards to leave the cell. The guards bowed, before exiting, slamming the cell door shut and stationing themselves outside, in case the king needed help. If Seonghwa chose to attack Hongjoong. 

Hongjoong eventually broke eye contact, taking a step back and crossing his arms. "Well?"

Seonghwa looked at the king with dull eyes, but decided not to say anything. They had the same conversation over and over again, so Seonghwa could already guess what Hongjoong wanted. 

Seonghwa's silence seemed to irritate Hongjoong, as he immediately stalked up to Seonghwa and slammed both his fists against the wall on either side of Seonghwa's head. Seonghwa barely flinched, just looking at the king with a blank expression. 

"Why did you do it?" Hongjoong asked, voice low, a dangerous tone seeping through his words as he glared at Seonghwa.

Seonghwa continued to stare at the red head blankly. What could he possible say at this point to appease him? Yet, Seonghwa still found himself moving his lips to answer Hongjoong's question earnestly. 

"I didn't do anything, you have to believe me-" 

"That's a damn lie and you know it Seonghwa." 

"Hongjoongie, please listen-"

"Don't call me that!" snarled Hongjoong, eyes darkening at the nickname. Seonghwa winced at the way the other addressed him. Seonghwa. Hongjoong used to always call him Hwa when they were alone, out of prying eyes. When the two of them weren't king and advisor, but as close friends, as family.

Not when they were now executioner and traitor. 

Hongjoong moved his hands to grip Seonghwa's collar tightly, threatening to rip off the thin layer of fabric he had left. "You...you've lost the right to call me that...after what you did to them. I can't forgive you for that." Hongjoong's hands were shaking, Seonghwa noticed. The real question was whether it due to anger or pain. The red head sounded like he was on the verge of tears, despite his gruff exterior. 

Seonghwa reached out and grasped Honjoong's hands with his own, scars and whip marked ones. For a moment, Seonghwa felt that both of them could feel each other's warmth and comfort, as though they were still in their room, talking and laughing along with the others. It was ironic, how Seonghwa was the one at death's door, yet he was the one comforting Hongjoong, his executioner. 

But Seonghwa couldn't bring himself to hate Hongjoong. If anything, he was desperate to tell the other man the truth, that he was being framed, that he had no intention to harm any one of his brothers. Seonghwa blamed himself for not realizing it sooner, the dark cloud that had been looming over all of them, over the rest of Aurora. 

The moment Hongjoong ripped his hands away from Seonghwa's shattered any hope of reconciliation. Seonghwa reached out towards Hongjoong again, but Hongjoong pulled away, turning from the dark haired male. Hongjoong clenched his fists, and gritted his teeth. When he spoke again, his voice was cold.

"You're saying that you signed off on that mission and sent Jongho off to his death, leaving the orphanage and village completely unguarded, and you didn't do it? Seonghwa, you told me yourself that you've received a distress call from the Northern parts and used our funds to send troops to help scout the area." Hongjoong began to shake with anger as he continued, his breathing heavy. "I gave my approval because I trusted you, and now suddenly all the documents and evidence of the expedition and funding has been burned."

Seonghwa stared at Hongjoong, feeling his panic and frustration seeping through his bones. "I'm trying to tell you, someone broke into my study and stole the documents! I was going to tell you that there needs to be an investigation-"

"Jongho was murdered by assassins and Yeosang is lost at sea Seonghwa!!" Hongjoong shouted, slamming his fist against the cell door, which rattled and creaked in protest at the sudden impact. "You were the only person we could trace it back to!! You had Yeosang's notebooks hidden away and are the only one who would have known both his and Jongho's route! Because they told you! There was no one else who knew them, who knew us, better than YOU!!" 

"Hongjoong, you have to believe me, I would never do anything to Yeosang or Jongho!" I would never raise a hand against them. "I wouldn't betray the kingdom of Aurora!" I would never betray you or the others. "I would never endanger innocent people or misuse the funds meant for the citizens!" I would never do anything to see everyone suffer like this. 

Seonghwa was in pain, but rather than from the whip marks, bruises and scars, he felt his heart shattering into a million pieces. Jongho. The youngest of their family, who had such a long life ahead of him. The strong, fierce knight of their group who always believed in protecting others on the battlefield. Yeosang, the sharp and witty member of their family, who helped secure all the trade routes and map out areas of Aurora that needed the most help. He was always seen as quiet, but caring. 

The thought of two of his brothers, dead or missing, made Seonghwa want to cry in agony. He failed to protect them as their eldest brother. And now, the thought that the others believed that Seonghwa would harm any of them was devastating. 

For a moment, Hongjoong seemed to look at Seonghwa with a pained expression. Hongjoong was suffering, they all were. Seonghwa knew that the red head was struggling with his decision, to grasp the situation as both family and as king. It only made Seonghwa want to reach his hand out again, to offer him comfort and warmth, but he held himself back. Hongjoong's expression once again became cold. 

"I'm sorry it had to end like this, but we... can no longer trust you. For Jongho and Yeosang's sake, for everyone else's sake. You deny that you had any hand in this, but everyone else says otherwise."

"Hongjoong-" Seonghwa began, but was cut off by the sound of the guards re-entering the cell. Hongjoong stepped back as the guards harshly yanked Seonghwa by the arms, muscles screaming in pain as his body protested the sudden movement. Seonghwa knew it what this meant, and suddenly the full weight of his situation hit him all at once. A painful excruciating wound as he desperately struggled in the guards' grasp. 

"Hongjoong! Please stop this! I need to tell you, there's someone else in the palace pulling the strings," Seonghwa cried, tears slowly making their way down the black haired male's cheeks. "Give me a chance to figure it out!" To figure us out. 

Hongjoong didn't respond however. Seonghwa's pleas fell on deaf ears, as the king simply turned and walked out of the cell. His silence was the final step to cementing Seonghwa's fate. 

That was the last time Seonghwa called the king by his name. 

Seonghwa already felt dead as he was pushed up by the guards to the guillotine in the town square. The light in his eyes had already dim, as he stared blankly out into the crowd. He ignored the yells and cries demanding his head, the insults that were hurled at him viciously. Traitor, murderer, bastard, they cried in anger and contempt. 

He then saw them, near the back of the large crowd of people, standing by the king's side on the high balcony of the castle. His five remaining comrades, friends, brothers.

San and Wooyoung were holding hands as they stared passively at Seonghwa from the distance. The assassin and mage were always close, even within their tight knitted family. Despite the situation, Seonghwa found comfort in knowing the two still remained strong, especially after news of Yeosang's disappearance and Jongho's death. 

Mingi was downright glaring at Seonghwa, eyes full of anger as he gripped Yunho's hand. Of course Mingi would despise Seonghwa. The orphanage that was engulfed in flames and attacked was the same one Mingi looked after. Yunho's expression gave nothing away, as he attempted to calm down his friend. The healer was always the one to maintain balance and resolve conflicts within their family, always using his enthusiasm to cheer others up. 

Seonghwa didn't want to look at the king. He didn't want to see what expression he would make at Seonghwa. Especially the cold expression he wore when he casted away the bond they held as brothers in that dark cell. 

As Seonghwa laid his head down on the flat wooden surface, one of the guards wrenched his head up, forcing Seonghwa to look upwards. He made one final eye contact with the king. Seeing his brothers look at him with such stony and disgusted expressions cut painfully into Seonghwa's mind. 

Was all the years of their friendship, their bond nothing more than a mere illusion? A dream that was to be painfully yanked away from Seonghwa, a cruel reminder that he no longer had anyone by his side? That he truly was alone in the very end?

The king raised his hand to signal the guard. Seonghwa gazed at the king, and a tear dripped down his cheek as he made one final thought. 

"If I was ever reborn, I wish I didn't cherish you all so much." 

The blade of the guillotine came down, swiftly. Seonghwa felt a burst of pain, excruciating, and then black. 

A few moments after, one of the guards held up the black haired male's severed head in victory, blood still dripping from the decapitated head. Everyone in the town square cheered in joy. Everyone except for five individuals.

The king made the announcement. That the traitor Park Seonghwa had been executed on a bright, sunny day. 


	3. HALA HALA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seonghwa finds himself back in the past, a year before his death. He then encounters a ghost of the past, leaving him with questions. Eventually, Seonghwa makes a decision, one that saves everyone but costs himself everything he held dear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is here! It came earlier cause I probably won't have time next week to upload cause of assignments. Thanks for the support for this story, I was surprised people would be interested in it, but I'm grateful for those reading! Please enjoy!

= Seonghwa P.O.V. =

Seonghwa felt like he was floating for a brief second. Was this what death was like? Aimlessly floating into nothingness? Suddenly he heard someone calling him. That's strange, thought Seonghwa, who would be calling me when I'm dead?

"Seonghwa-hyung!!"

That jolted Seonghwa out of his sleep immediately. The male's eyes snapped open as he quickly sat up in...a bed? To Seonghwa's shock, it was his own bed, smooth black sheets all wrinkled from his moving. 

What was going on? Seonghwa asked himself in confusion. He definitely remembered dying, the sound of the blade making its mark and the blinding pain he felt immediately. Seonghwa unconsciously reached for his neck, touching it gingerly. 

His head was still intact. He was alive?

"Hyung, are you alright? You don't look too well," a concerned voice pulled Seonghwa from his thoughts. He looked up and once again felt shock as he stared at the figure in front of him. 

Soft white hair and ethereal features that made the male look like a godlike statue. The same quiet but caring tone that Seonghwa missed after weeks of imprisonment and isolation. But how was he here? He went missing-

Yeosang's face suddenly was less than an inch away from Seonghwa's face, causing the older male to jerk back in surprise. 

"Yeosang?" Seonghwa asked, still unable to comprehend the sight in front of him. Yeosang frowned, concern written on the navigator's face as he crossed his arms and stared at Seonghwa.

"Hyung, you seem to be acting strange. Did Wooyoung give you some weird potion again?" The male asked with such seriousness that caused Seonghwa to laugh hysterically. Is this some kind of messed up joke? To present one of his brothers in front of him as punishment for failing to protect them?

Seonghwa briefly looked around, taking in the view of his surroundings. He was back in his room in the palace. Neat stacks of papers and books were organized on long, mahogany shelves that reached to the room's ceiling. 

His desk was also cleaned up, with his ink jar and quills carefully placed in jars to minimize the space they took up. He remembered how Yeosang kept telling him to just buy a bigger desk, but he refused. The desk had been made by the eight of them, when they first moved into the palace and could barely afford to waste funds. 

Seonghwa looked at Yeosang, who looked like he was about to run out and grab Yunho to check up on the older male. Seonghwa inwardly sighed, trying his best not to wrap the younger male in an embrace and never let go. 

"I'm fine, Yeosang, I'm just a bit tired," Seonghwa answered, giving a tentative smile to the other. "I might just spend the rest of the day working in my study."

For some reason, Seonghwa's answer seemed to make things worse, as the frown deepened on the other's face. Did I say something wrong, thought Seonghwa, feeling nervous as Yeosang once again stared at him with that same intensity as before. 

"If you say so hyung," Yeosang responded, finally giving him a soft smile. "If you need anything, just let any of us know. You know the others will be worried if they hear you're not feeling well." 

The others. Seonghwa felt the blood drain out of his face as he began to recall the cold and angry looks of his brothers as they accused him of murder and treason. his heart started racing, breathing started to become difficult. The room began to spin as Seonghwa shut his eyes, his heart feeling the raw pain of guilt, as well as despair as he remembered them watching his execution without emotion. 

He could hear Yeosang's panicked voice as he tried to bring Seonghwa's focus back, but Seonghwa was far too stuck in his own head. 

They'll hate me, they'll kill me. Seonghwa wailed in pain. They don't trust me, I'll die again. Someone help me, please believe me, I'm sorry- 

"What is happening here?"

= Yeosang P.O.V. =

Yeosang had a strange feeling that morning when he got up to carry out his duties. He felt his feet moving to stand in front of one of his brothers' room. Seonghwa's room. At first, the white hair male didn't think much of it, he was just going to check up on his hyung. But as he stood near the door of Seonghwa's room, he felt a sense of dread. That something was wrong. 

He had knocked earlier, expecting a reply from the eldest, who would usually be up early and already working on the palace finances and organizing files and schedules for Hongjoong, their king (and family). 

However, he was shocked to receive no response. Seonghwa always answered the door, either to tell his brothers to come in or ask if there's anything they needed. But Yeosang was only met with silence. 

Immediately, Yeosang reached for the door handle and twisted it, pulling the door open and stepping inside Seonghwa's room. The room was dark, signalling that the male had yet to wake up. It was already noon at the palace.

Seonghwa never slept in. 

"Hyung? Are you still sleeping?" Yeosang asked, walking closer to the other male's large bed. When he stopped to glance over, he was shocked to see his hyung shaking and pale, looking like he was in the grips of a nightmare. 

Yeosang ran over to shake the other. "Hyung, wake up. Hyung?" Seonghwa wasn't waking up, he began to toss and turn in his bed, breathing erratic. 

Should I get Yunho? Yeosang thought, slight panic as he kept shaking the unconscious male. But I can't leave him alone like this.

"Hyung, Hyung!" Shouted Yeosang, shaking Seonghwa harder. "Seonghwa-hyung!!"

Luckily, Seonghwa did wake up when Yeosang called his name. However, the relief was short-lived the more Yeosang talked with his hyung. Seonghwa looked at him as though Yeosang was fragile, as if he would break at any moment. What kind of nightmare did Seonghwa have to scare himself so much?

"I'm fine, Yeosang, I'm just a bit tired," Seonghwa answered, giving a tentative smile to the other. "I might just spend the rest of the day working in my study."

Yeosang? Seonghwa always called him Yeosangie or would teasingly say "my dongsaeng" to annoy Yeosang. But never just Yeosang. The eight of them had long ago stopped formalities with each other, even when they entered the palace and became saviours of Aurora. 

Yeosang didn't want to press the issue, knowing that Seonghwa would refuse to say anything as to not bother any of them. It was an endearing but annoying to him and the rest of the family. 

"If you say so hyung," Yeosang found himself saying. He gave his hyung a reasuring smile. "If you need anything, just let any of us know. You know the others will be worried if they hear you're not feeling well." That part was very much true. Knowing the others, they would all drop everything if they heard one of brothers was hurt or in trouble. Years of friendship had tied them together. Eight makes one team, thought Yeosang. A small team cheer they had all come up with to symbolize their bond. A promise to protect each other, no matter the time and place. 

However, Yeosang didn't know why, but he realized that the moment he said that, Seonghwa paled, and began to tremble, breathing becoming heavy. The oldest quickly looked on the verge of having an anxiety attack. 

"Hyung, what's wrong?! Seonghwa-hyung!" Yeosang immediately jumped up to grasp Soenghwa's shoulders and bring him back to reality, but that seemed to agitate the other more. Seonghwa brought his hands up to his face, eyes shut, looking distraught and in pain. He's trembling, Yeosang thought, feeling his heart drop. Why does he look so scared?

Just then, one of the palace maids came in, looking worried. "Advisor Park, General Kang, is everything alright? I heard a commotion," the maid asked, then glanced towards Seonghwa in shock. Yeosang instinctively moved in front of his hyung, blocking the maid's view. Seonghwa hated to look weak in front of others, and for some reason, Yeosang did not want anyone to see his brother in such agony, whatever it may be. 

"Get Healer Jeong, now" Yeosang ordered, voice serous and commanding. The maid blinked, stunned, before Yeosang shouted. "Now!!"

The maid ran off, frantically nodding as she did. Yeosang attempted to calm Seonghwa down, murmuring reassurances the way the other did for him and their other brothers. It was the first time Yeosang truly felt helpless, unable to figure out a way to help his hyung. Please hurry Yunho-hyung, Yeosang prayed. 

"What is happening here?"

Yeosang looked up, prepared to yell at the the stranger to leave the room, until he looked up. Recognition flashed across the white haired male's face. 

= Yunho P.O.V. =

"There, everything seems to be perfectly healthy now," The green haired healer said, smiling at the butler kindly. "Your sprained ankle is properly healed, but I still recommend taking it easy for the next few days to be sure. So no heavy lifting, okay?"

The butler, who had been working at the palace for the last decade, nodded in understanding. "Thank you for the help, Healer Jeong." The butler stood up and bowed to Yunho. "I will take your advice, luckily I don't have too many tasks left involving any heavy labour."

Yunho nodded in approval, before jotting a few notes down on his clipboard. "That's great! I won't keep you here any longer then, haha. Take care." The butler once again bowed before exiting the room, the door quietly shutting behind him. Yunho finished his notes before leaning back in his chair and stretching. It's been a long day, he thought, rolling his neck to get the kinks out. But it's definitely worth helping others.

Yunho was considering what he should get for lunch/dinner when a maid ran into the clinic, breathless and flustered. Yunho got up, a strange feeling that something was wrong. "Take deep breaths before speaking, okay? There, there." He helped sit the maid down, who immediately opened rushed out a sentence as soon as she could speak. 

"Healer Jeong, General Kang has urgently sent for you," the maid said frantically. Yunho blinked, concern flitting in his eyes. Yeosang isn't the type of person to get sick or injured so easily. Did something happen? 

The maid continued. "There is something ill with Advisor Park. Both of them are currently in Advisor Park's chambers." At the mention of Seonghwa, Yunho immediately got up and began grabbing his medical supplies and placing them in his bag. 

"What symptoms is Seong-Advisor Park experiencing just now?" asked Yuhno, sounding calm, but inside, worry began to cloud his vision. If Yeosang rarely got sick, Seonghwa was the one who never got sick. It would usually be the oldest that went out of his way to help Yunho take care of the rest of them if they were ill or hurt. 

The maid simple shook her head, looking worried. "I did not see," she said softly. "But General Kang sounded very concerned about Advisor Park, Healer Jeong."

That gave even more red warning signs to Yunho; Yeosang rarely panicked about anything, no matter the circumstances. Not only did he look like he was sculpted out of marble, the younger male always kept his emotions in check, to better navigate and map out territory without any doubts. 

The fact that Yeosang was frantic in sending for Yunho meant something was definitely wrong with Seonghwa. Seonghwa, his favourite hyung who always worked diligently and manages to look after everyone as well. The thought that his hyung and dongsaeng were in any kind of pain made Yuhno want to fly immediately to their side.

"Lead me to them," Yuhno said, after packing the rest of his supplies into his medical bag. "Take the shortest route as well, if you can." 

Both Yuhno and the maid sprinted out towards the Seonghwa's chambers, no other words exchanged.

= Seonghwa P.O.V. =

Seonghwa was once again floating, only this time he could see. The problem was that all he could see was a black landscape, nothing else in sight. Seonghwa figured it was some coping mechanism, considering how he completely blanked after Yeosang's words. You know the others would be worried about you. Yeosang had said. 

Seonghwa found it hard to believe, after what he experienced in his final moments. The stoic, passive looks across his brothers' faces, the last conversation he had with the king, the feeling of the blade slicing through his neck, the pain.

"But that hasn't happened yet." 

Seonghwa startled, looking around as he heard another voice speak. Carefully, Seonghwa took a deep breath.

"Who are you?" As he spoke, Seonghwa felt a presence behind. Quickly, he turned and found himself face to face. With himself. The other Seonghwa eyes were a startling blue, however, staring at him with a calm, but pitying expression.

"You've suffered a cruel fate, at the hands of those you've trusted the most," His doppelganger murmured, reaching out a hand to Seonghwa's cheek. "However, you were not the only one to suffer."

At that, Seonghwa felt his heart stop. "What do you mean?...What happened to the others?" Fear gripped him at the thought of his friends being killed, of suffering the fate of death and leaving Aurora defenseless against enemies. That couldn't have been possible, unless what he feared actually happened, that there was a mole within the palace walls, which pitted the eight of them against each other. 

His doppelganger said nothing, hand dropping from Seonghwa's face to his side, but the sad expression confirmed Seonghwa's fear. "I cannot say the events that transpired after your death, for that is out of the scope of your own knowledge. However, I wish to grant you another chance to right the wrongs." Seonghwa blinked in confusion. Right the wrongs? 

"You mean to prevent my death? Or...to save everyone else?" 

His other self shook his head, his next words full of sympathy. It was strange to hear his own voice, yet Seonghwa had a feeling his doppelganger was someone with much more power in the world than him.

"Your death has already been predestined. It was your fate. However, your friends can still be saved. If you cannot, then nothing but disaster will follow again."

The thought of someone predetermining his death, his fate to be killed by his friends was truly painful to grasp. Yet at the same time, Seonghwa also felt the strong desire to protect his family, and the rest of Aurora. No matter what, he could not bring himself to hate his friends, after everything they went through together. And, if he had been taken to the past, as his doppelganger implied, then his brothers had yet to kill him, to despise him.

"My life doesn't matter to me, as long as I can save everyone else." Eight makes one team. Seonghwa thought. I won't let anyone else die, if I have the chance to prevent it. 

The other Seonghwa smiled, looking pleased. "I am glad that is your answer. However, there is a price you must pay for this chance."

Seonghwa had expected that, given how he was basically cheating death and time altogether. "What is it?"

"There are two conditions," The other Seonghwa murmured. "The first condition is that you must experience the same fate," Seonghwa winced, imagining the pain of his excution for a second time. His doppelganger continued. 

"The second condition is...you must uphold your wish. If not, you cannot change anything, nor save your friends." Seonghwa blinked. My wish? Then suddenly, he remembered. His final thought right before dying.

"If I was ever reborn, I wish I never cherished you all so much."

Seonghwa realized, that the events that led to his death, as well as to the eventual death of all of his friends, was centered around his love for his family. He cherished his friends, treated them as brothers, as family. They trusted each other too much, they loved each other too much. 

Such love that could easily shatter the peace they swore to protect along with Aurora. 

Seonghwa realized this was the best option, no, the only option, for everyone, including himself. If he distanced himself from his friends, he could save them. If what his doppelganger said was true, then something happened after his death that caused the death of his friends. Whoever planned to bring this disaster to Aurora had already known the eight of them were close.

Then they would have also anticipated the chaos it would bring if a wedge was driven between them.

Then, if Seonghwa is able to retrace his steps in the past, he will be able to figure out who was plotting against them and the person who framed him. He would prevent anyone from dying. He would be able to gather enough evidence to reveal the culprit. 

Of course, that meant that he would have still have to die in order to draw them out. Yet it was a risk Seonghwa was willing to take. 

Seonghwa looked at his other self with a determined expression.

"I will agree with these conditions," Seonghwa said. His doppelganger looked like he was about to agree, before Seonghwa continued. "However, I want to try and prevent my death, if I can. I...refuse to die again just because it's fate." If anything, Seonghwa was willing to die protecting everyone, but he refused to be killed by his friends. Cause he knew his death would also hurt the rest of his friends. He recalled the pained expression the king made when turned away from Seonghwa in that cell. If they found out he was not a traitor, they would hold the guilt in their hearts forever. Seonghwa refused to have them suffer in such a way, even if they wanted him dead. If I remain alive, I can protect everyone from a distance. I'll avoid them and live a quiet, isolated life away from the palace. That way, no one would get hurt. He'll slowly cut ties with his friends, if it means they get to live. If it means he can survive, alone. 

His doppelganger paused, before nodding. "It would seem you desire to change your fate. I will not stop you from trying, however...the path you've chosen for yourself seems far more painful than death."

"That...doesn't matter anymore," Seonghwa said. "I want to carve out my own fate, and protect everyone, no matter the cost." Nothing could change Seonghwa's resolve. If there was a way to prevent Jongho's death and save Yeosang, he would take that chance. The black background began to waver, his other self flickering in and out of focus.

"Very well, I wish you the best...I hope you can save your friends."


	4. Answer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We found out who the mysterious visitor is that finds Yeosang and Seonghwa. Yunho arrives around the same time to check on the two. Seonghwa wakes up and finds himself face to face with his friends, determined to draw the line between them and himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is done, yay! I feel like the chapters might be longer as the story goes on, since I've decided to include everyone's p.o.v. at one point throughout the chapters. But yeah, don't worry if some of the members haven't shown up yet. Want to give each of them a good segway and intro.
> 
> I did say I would upload a chapter each week, but I wanted to get my ideas down before I forget (and hopefully avoid any writer's block in the near future). College is also going to be busy for me for the next few weeks, so these chapters are gonna be published a bit earlier. 
> 
> Anyways, please enjoy!

= San P.O.V. =

Being an assassin really has its perks, thought San gleefully, stealthily crossing through the palace gardens after taking a quick detour from the royal kitchen. 

In his hands, San held a box of freshly made chocolates he snagged from one of the chocolatiers. Of course the palace chefs would have just given some to San if he had asked normally (since they were all genuinely nice) but there was no fun in just asking for sweets when you have the ability to sneak in and out of places quickly. Also a great way to practice his stealth skills. 

There seems to be three different flavours, and San couldn't wait to try them all. "Maybe I should share some with Wooyoungie and Yeosangie," San commented, smiling devilishly. "Then they can't nag me if they're in on the crime."

Ironically enough, as soon as he said that, San heard Yeosang's voice echoing from one direction. Curious, San paused and immediately honed in on the source: right. Making his way over, San eventually reached the area where he heard his friend's voice. He looked up, spotting an open window on the third story of the palace. Careful not to drop the box San nimbly scaled the palace walls and pulled himself through the window.

Dusting himself off and adjusting his grip in the chocolates box, San looked around; as usual, the palace surroundings felt both familiar and welcoming.

He managed to just catch a glimpse of a maid running down the corridor/hallway, looking frantic. San blinked thoughtfully. From the direction she's running from... "That's Seonghwa-hyung's room," San said out loud, furrowing his eyebrows. 

But that meant Yeosang's voice was also coming from Seonghwa's room. Feeling slightly concerned about his friends' safety, San made his way quietly towards the eldest's room, gripping the box of sweets tightly in his arms. If anything was wrong, San was ready to unleash all of his skills as the most infamous assassin in Aurora. 

When he got to Seonghwa's room, the door had been left slightly ajar, allowing San to slip in with ease. However, what he saw definitely caught him off guard.

There, on Seonghwa's bed, was Seonghwa, curled up and barely moving, while Yeosang had his arms wrapped around the eldest, whispering softly into Seonghwa's ears for comfort.

"What is happening here?"

Yeosang's head snapped up at San's voice. Recognition and relief briefly flashed across his face as he saw brunette approach them. "San-ie."

As San came closer to the two, he noticed that Seonghwa's eyes were unfocused, staring blankly at nothing. He also saw that Seonghwa's breathing was unusually heavy, small little gasps once in awhile, as though the eldest had run a marathon. 

Seeing Seonghwa like this made San feel uneasy. He looked at Yeosang, whose expression mirrored San's concern as well. "What happened to Seonghwa-hyung?"

Yeosang shook his head, voice calm, but also his face gave away most of his worry. "I don't know. I came in to check on him, since he hadn't woken up yet. He seemed to be having a nightmare, so I woke him up. San, he was acting strange. We talked for a bit and then he started shaking...I think he had an anxiety attack."

San stared in dismay at Yeosang's words, unable to say anything. He never saw Seonghwa in such a state before. His hyung always woke up early to do work, and then he would spend time with them all at one point of the day. San had never once seen Seonghwa break down from anxiety or stress. It was usually Seonghwa himself helping Hongjoong and everyone else deal with their own stress. 

"Maybe Hyung just had a rough day," San suggested, but he could hear the doubt seep through his voice. "I mean, hyung always works hard and he must be exhausted from the work piling up. He should have told us he was busy so we could give him some time to catch up." 

Yeosang simply stared San quietly, before speaking. "San-ie, he called me Yeosang. Hyung would never call me that, even if I asked him to." 

San once again was stunned. Seonghwa always used nicknames for all of them, a sign of endearment for all of his dongsaengs, according to Seonghwa himself. 

San was still deep in thought as the doors opened wide and Yunho rushed in, holding his medical bag in one hand while gripping the door handle with the other. Behind the green haired male San could make out another, slimmer, figure whom San assumed was the maid he saw earlier. 

That meant that Yeosang probably sent for Yunho. San hoped that Yunho could help Seonghwa. Judging by his flushed complexion, it looked like the green haired male had ran all the way from his quarters to here, as soon as he heard the news. 

Yeosang nodded at Yunho politely before turning to address the maid. "Thank you, you may leave. We would like some privacy." The maid curtised before leaving the room, gently shutting the door on her way out. 

Once they were alone, the three of them looked at each other, then towards Seonghwa's unconscious form in Yeosang's arms. 

Yunho placed his bag down on the bed and began to rummage through it. "Yeosang, I need you to explain to me what happened before I've arrived." Yunho said, giving a small smile as he pulled out a small flashlight. "It would help me figure out what's wrong with Seonghwa-hyung better."

Yeosang nodded, gently lying Seonghwa down comfortably on his bed. He then proceeded to recount everything that had happened earlier, in better detail, to both his friends. 

Once Yeosang and had finished, San could also see Yunho looking concerned as well, gazing at Seonghwa as he shone the flashlight in the other's eyes. There was no response from Seonghwa. San found it eerie as he looked at his hyung's blank eyes. They seemed so...lifeless. Something that didn't suit Seonghwa at all.

Yunho did a few more tests, as San and Yeosang sat down on the carpeted floor and watched, unease floating through the air. Finally Yunho began to put away his medical supplies. 

San jumped up, eager to find out what was wrong with their friend. "Hyung, do you know what's wrong with Seonghwa-hyung?" 

Yunho sighed before shaking his head. For once, the energetic healer seemed to be at a loss of words. "There's nothing wrong with him physically. He's perfectly healthy and he has no injuries." 

Yeosang frowned looking at the figure on the bed. "That can't be, though. He was sweating and seemed to be in pain."

Yunho shook his head, running a hand through his hair in confusion. "Judging by what you told me before and the symptoms during my checkup, Seonghwa-hyung seems to be experiencing some sort of anxiety attack, or psychological shock, brought on by trauma. It's not a physical illness or anything of the sort."

"He's not... Seonghwa-hyung's not going to stay like that forever, right?" San asked, pulling himself to his feet in protest. "He was completely fine yesterday! We would have noticed if something was bothering him!"

Yunho opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. San, being observant, noticed the reluctant look in Yunho's eyes. 

Yeosang probably noticed the same thing as well. Yunho was hiding something from them. Something about Seonghwa. But what exactly?

Just as he was about to demand answers from Yunho, a small gasp startled all three of them. San turned and cried out in a shocked (but relieved) voice. 

"Seonghwa-hyung?!"

= Seonghwa P.O.V. =

Seonghwa felt himself slowly regain consciousness as he blearily blinked opened his eyes. He came to the familiar view of his ceiling and room, as well as the hushed whispers coming from either side of his bed. 

He was about to get up, when he felt a tickle from his dry throat. Seonghwa let out a small cough, wheezing. 

His cough seemed to have caught the attention of the other figures in the room. Suddenly, another familiar face floated into Seonghwa's view.

Dark hair, with a streak of white through his bangs. Fox like eyes and a distinct, sharp jawline. San. 

"Seonghwa-hyung!?!" Seonghwa winced. Well, he definitely was in the past, if San's loud, excited voice was still bursting in energy. But at the moment, Seonghwa felt immense joy that the other wasn't staring at him with a stoic and passive expression. 

"San-ie," Seonghwa murmured, carefully sitting up in his bed, causing the bed frame to creak under his weight. "Not so loud, we're inside, remember?" With the way San acted around all of them, Seonghwa sometimes forgot that the other was the best assassin in all of Aurora.

San started blinking rapidly. Seonghwa realized with shock that the other had tears in his eyes. Seeing one of his dongsaengs hurting caused Seonghwa's heart to ache as well. Immediately, Seonghwa got up from his bed and walked over to pull the younger into his arms, rubbing his back gently. Seonghwa rested his head on top of San's.

"I'm sorry, I worried you, didn't I, San-ie?" Seonghwa murmured soothingly. "I promise you, hyung is alright. Please don't cry, it makes me cry as well to see you like this."

San sniffled a bit before responding. "Yeosangie said something was wrong with you hyung, and when Yunho came, you scared me. You better not do that again, or I'll have Wooyoung blast you."

Seonghwa let out a soft chuckle. Knowing Wooyoung, he would definitely send a massive fireball after anyone if San asked him to. Duly noted. 

When San stopped sniffling, Seonghwa carefully pulled away, and turned to look at the other people in the room. He had already known that Yeosang likely stayed to look after him while he sent for Yunho. 

Seonghwa smiled reassuringly, looking at his friends who still had concern written across their faces. "I'm sorry that you had to see that, I think a lot of things have been happening recently. I didn't want you all to worry." That much was true, with the fact that he was sent back to the past, to prevent the death of his friends, and hopefully his own as well. 

He quickly glanced at the calendar that he had hung in his room, just above his desk. October 8th, the 19th year of the Sunrise calendar era. 

If Seonghwa remembered correctly, he was executed July 29th, the 20th year of the Zero Fever calendar era. 

That meant that Seonghwa has less than a year to find the real traitor or spy, and try to prevent his own death. That way, he could save everyone. Even if it meant he would be alone at the end.

Yunho placed a hand on Seonghwa's forehead, breaking Seonghwa from his thoughts. Yunho have a cheerful smile as he pulled away, writing some notes down on his doctor records. 

"You seem perfectly healthy, Seonghwa-hyung, but if this happens again, you need to immediately come visit me, okay?" The green haired healer said earnestly. "If not, I'll have Hongjoong-hyung come over himself to force you." 

"Haha, thanks for the reminder, Yunho," Seonghwa said with a chuckle. His laugh seemed to brighten the mood in the room, as Yeosang and San also smiled, no longer frowning or upset. Yunho grinned and gave a thumbs up. 

San then made an excited noise as he ran over to the end of Seonghwa's bed to grab something. 

"Hyung, you want some chocolate?" San asked, holding the pink box happily as he stalked over to the others. "I didn't get a chance to try them yet, but they're from the royal kitchen."

Seonghwa raised an eyebrow. "Were you offered chocolates, or did you sneak some out of the royal kitchen?" San gulped, nervously laughing as he avoided Seonghwa's gaze. 

"What? I would never do that," San said pouting. "I always ask if they had any extra, and they happily said yes, so I couldn't just turn them down-"

"San-ie has his lying voice on," Yeosang deadpanned. "Seonghwa-hyung, he probably wants you to eat some so that you won't lecture him about snagging them."

San let out a choked sound as he whirled on Yeosang in shock. "How dare you, Yeosang! I thought we were friends, I would never try to trick anyone-."

"If I remembered, Mingi complained that you did the same thing to him, but with chicken," Yunho commented with a lighthearted grin. 

San crossed his arms, looking defeated. "After everything we've been through, I can't believe you would all turn down my generous offer for food, then accurately accuse me of sneaking them from the kitchen." 

That caused everyone to laugh, including Seonghwa. For once, it felt like Seonghwa was truly back, just him and friends having fun with each other without worries about their duties to the kingdom; momentarily taking Seonghwa's mind off from his impending death. A time of peace and tranquility.

Duties...The peace and tranquility was quickly washed away as Seonghwa then remembered that he still had his duties to fulfill for the day. Oh no. Frantically he looked out of the window. The sun was halfway in the sky. That meant that it was late afternoon. If he was unconscious up until now...

"I'm behind," Seonghwa exclaimed, making a beeline towards his desk. Luckily, Seonghwa knew in the past that he always prepared everything the day before, in case anything went wrong the following day. "I need to get these files to his majesty."

After quickly grabbing the appropriate files, Seonghwa noticed that the room was once again uncomfortably quiet. Confused, Seonghwa turned around and saw that his three friends looking at his strangely. Yeosang was once again wearing a concerned frown on his face. 

"Is something wrong?" Seonghwa asked, confused as to why they were all looking at him like that. Did I say something strange? He thought, pondering their previous conversations. 

Yeosang, San, and Yunho all opened their mouths and began speaking at once.

"Why did you-"

"Did you get-"

"Did you just-"

Before anyone could finish their questions, or before Seonghwa could intervene to tell them to speak one at a time, a screeching noise (or person?) could be heard from outside. 

That was the only warning before a wild Wooyoung crashed through the window.


	5. Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected guest (literally) crashes the conversation between Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, and San. 
> 
> The Captain of Aurora's knights finishes up his daily patrol by visiting the orphanage and catching up with a close friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 is here! You've probably already noticed, but I'm making the other members' P.O.V. longer, cause I find it easier to explain their backstories in better detail than just from Seonghwa's P.O.V. I hope to give each member the spotlight (I'm assuming I'll be writing quite a bit due to plot development). 
> 
> Please enjoy!

= Wooyoung P.O.V. =

In Wooyoung's defense, the wizards that he talked to said that flying on broomsticks was the quickest way to get to where you needed to be. Especially if you were in a rush. 

What they forgot to mention was that broomsticks were not something you could master in a few minutes. 

\--- Earlier ---

Wooyoung was busy arranging all the crystals on his shelves, sorting out the ones that were still usable and discarding the ones that were cracked and worn out. 

Wooyoung was the the one to had came up with the idea of storing magic within the vast crystals found in the kingdom's mines, and using them as an energy source for Aurora. That meant most of the kingdom was powered by these small crystals, from household electricity to water filtration to weaponry. 

Many neighboring kingdoms were amazed at how advanced the smaller country of Aurora was, coming up with such a groundbreaking idea no one else had thought of before. There were now other kingdoms attempting to offer alliances and other trades with Aurora in order to access these crystals, which could only be found in the small country and no where else, due to the climate and the distinct properties of the crystals themselves. If anything, the crystals made everyone's life more efficient. Except Wooyoung's, that is.

"Urghhhh, I should've found a better way to manage the kingdom's magic reserves," The mage groaned, head smacking his desk in exasperation. "I just thought it would look cooler if we stored it in natural crystals, since there were so many of them lying around. Now I'm stuck checking and replacing them every week!"

Wooyoung ran a hand through his lilac hair. Being one of the most powerful mages in Aurora, Wooyoung had a lot of magic at his disposal, which was why Hongjoong made Wooyoung head of the council of mages. Wooyoung was trusted by the king and close friend to manage the magic reserves. Other than that, Wooyoung decided to also use his magic to try out different hair colours, since he didn't have the time to get it dyed at a hair salon. He also did the same for his friends, with (or without) their permission. If anything, they were usually grateful, given that all eight of them were always busy with running the kingdom. 

"Maybe I'll try giving Mingi pink hair," thought Wooyoung happily. "Or red? Hmmm, but I want to save red for Hongjoong-hyung..."

Wooyoung looked up at the clock in his room. It was a bit past 4 in the afternoon, usually the time where San or Yeosang would show up with snacks and hang out with Wooyoung. The mage stood up indignant, almost scattering all of the crystals. 

"Are they having fun without me?" Wooyoung thought out loud, in fake shock. "I think I should go check up on them, in case they are." I did plenty of work anyway, Wooyoung added, smirking triumphant. I've been holed up in this place since dawn. 

Just as Wooyoung was about to leave, he felt his magic circle activate. Wooyoung flinched. San. San and Yeosang were upset about something. 

Wooyoung cared immensely about all of his friends, he would take down anyone that would threaten them. Especially now that Aurora was growing in strength, that meant more enemies to encounter, lurking in the shadows and ready to attack. 

That was why Wooyoung decided to cast protection magic on some of his friends. He knew that Hongjoong and Seonghwa would definitely refuse, since they knew that protection magic was exhausting to maintain, especially on others. That was why he secretly casted one on both Yeosang and San, since they would be the most unlikely to notice. 

The spell would only activate as a warning to Wooyoung, if either Yeosang or San were hurt or in pain. The pain could be physical or mental. 

Wooyoung jumped up from his seat again and coat, about to run down the stairs. The mage paused, however.

"It would be faster if I used it..." Wooyoung turned to eye the item in the far corner of his room. A newly gifted broomstick from one of his wizard friends. Wooyoung never got a chance to test it out, choosing to either using teleportation magic, or just going down the stairs. However, the mage didn't want to use up his magic, especially if his friends were in some sort of distress at the moment. 

Without thinking, Wooyoung grabbed the broomstick and hopped into it. "Okay, if I remember correctly, he said to imagine where you want to go, and the broomstick will take me there."

The mage concentrated, closing his eyes to picture Yeosang and San's faces. Take me to wherever they are, Wooyoung thought.

Suddenly, Wooyoung felt himself floating. He looked down to see himself and the broomstick hovering a few feet above the floor. Okay, so far, so good. 

Then the broomstick lurched, almost throwing Wooyoung off, before racing towards his opened window. Wait a minute-

"Holy-" Wooyoung barely got the chance to even scream right as he was launched out the window of his room on the eight storey building of the magic tower. Wooyoung felt disoriented for a brief second as he clutched onto the broomstick, trying hard not to get thrown off and plunge to his death. 

The mage didn't know how long he had been flying for, but he felt the ride becoming slightly less rocky; that was when he finally worked up the courage to open his eyes to get a good view of his location (and, hopefully, Yeosang and San's location as well). When he did, he really wished he hadn't taken the broomstick.

What he was looking at was the palace. Specifically, a closed window on the third floor of the castle walls. And the broomstick was flying full speed towards it. 

Wooyoung wished he took the stairs for once.

In fear for his (and anyone else's life in that room), the mage tried to yell a warning to the people inside to back away from the window. However...

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Wooyoung screeched in pure terror as the broomstick flew straight into the window, shattering the glass, and scaring Yeosang, San, Yunho and Seonghwa.

\--- Present ---

"So, you're telling me that you hopped on a broomstick that you didn't know how to use, to look for Yeosang and San, and preceded to fly into a closed window and injure yourself?"

That was how Wooyoung found himself in Seonghwa's room, getting his injuries treated by Yunho. The purple haired male huffed, then winced as Yunho gently dabbed one of the scratches on his cheek. The glass definitely made some marks, mostly on his arms as he propelled into the room and landed smacked faced into the wall beside Seonghwa's desk. 

Seonghwa stood a few feet in from of Wooyoung, arms crossed. San and Yeosang stood further, after helping to sweep up the debris that Wooyoung's landing had made. Luckily, none of the others got hurt, though Wooyoung definitely was gonna feel bruised for awhile.

"Hyung, the stairs take too long to go down," protested Wooyoung. "If I hadn't, Yeosang and San could have been hurt! I didn't know where they were, and you and Hongjoong-hyung told me not to overuse my magic."

Seonghwa looked like he was about to say something when Yeosang cut in briskly. "We're fine though, Wooyoung," Yeosang said, tilting his head at the mage. "The real question is how did you find us so quickly, and why did you think we were in danger?" 

Wooyoung gulped. If Yeosang found it about the protection spell, he knew the navigator would be upset. Yeosang hated to be protected if it meant Wooyoung had to use his magic. Wooyoung could use as much magic as he wanted, as long as he was conscious. If the mage overexerted himself, he would faint. Which was why Hongjoong made Wooyoung promise not to use his magic unless he had too. 

Of course Wooyoung had made some exceptions to that promise.

Luckily, Seonghwa intervened. "I understand that you care deeply for Yeosang and San, but you have to careful too, Wooyoungie," the eldest said gently. "what would happen if you got hurt somewhere else? Please no more broomstick flying, okay?"

Despite wanting to retort, looking at Seonghwa's sincere eyes made Wooyoung feel even more guilty. He hadn't meant to make anyone worried, he thought he was the one worried about the others. But he understood that Seonghwa was only looking out for him and the others. Any anger towards the eldest's nagging deflated as Wooyoung looked at the advisor. 

The mage sighed. "I'm sorry, I'll hold off on the flying for awhile." 

Seonghwa smiled and ruffled Wooyoung's hair. "Great, now that that's settled, I think you should all head to the kitchen to eat, once Yunho has finished with Wooyoungie's injuries." 

Wooyoung nodded, while Yeosang raised an eyebrow at Seonghwa. "You're not coming with us, hyung?" 

San joined in, holding a smashed pink box in his hands. The chocolates (at least, that was what San had told him they were) had been completely destroyed during Wooyoung's mini rescue mission. San glanced at Seonghwa in confusion. "Don't tell me you plan on doing your tasks for today? After what happened earlier, hyung?" 

San's words caught Wooyoung's attention as he made eye contact with Seonghwa. Wait, so if Yeosang and San were upset earlier, then it had to do with Seonghwa? Examining Seonghwa a bit closer, Wooyoung could make out dark circles under the advisor's eyes, as well as the slightly paler complexion he had. 

It was easy to see that Seonghwa was tired. But it looked like the other had slept in as well, which was very un-Seonghwa like. So did something else happen before to the eldest to cause everyone to run in? Wooyoung assumed it had to have been pretty bad. 

A shadow seemed to fall over Seonghwa's eyes, and the eldest turned his head away, avoiding Wooyoung's eyes. The mage was shocked; usually Seonghwa always made eye contact when speaking to any of them; a silent show of trust between them all. Was he hiding something?

Seonghwa went to his closet and began to quickly change out of his pyjamas, slipping into his advisor cloak. "I need to get these files to his majesty. He'll need them for the next meeting, and I can't keep him waiting any longer." 

Wooyoung blinked. Did Seonghwa just refer to Hongjoong as 'His Majesty?'. In private, Seonghwa always used Hongjoongie or at least Hongjoong. But never 'His Majesty.'

Wooyoung's eyes shot to the others. Yeosang's frown had returned and San and Yunho also looked worried. There wasn't a doubt about it: something was wrong with their oldest brother.

"Hyung, maybe you should-"

"Make sure to close the door when you guys leave," Seonghwa said absentmindedly, unconsciously cutting off Wooyoung. Seonghwa grabbed his pocket watch, checked the time and then preceded to rush out of the room, leaving Wooyoung and the others staring after him in shock. 

Wooyoung turned to Yunho, who looked back at him expectantly. Wooyoung was the first to speak. "Did something happen to Seonghwa-hyung? Are you sure I was the only one that hit my head?"

The only response he got was a smack in the head from Yeosang. 

= Jongho P.O.V. =

"You bastards, let me go!" The thief's words only made Jongho tighten his grip on the thrashing figure. "You think you can throw me in jail? Screw you, you're nothing but a young sap who doesn't know their place!"

Jongho wanted to snort. "Sir, I don't think you have the right to say that," the knight said, as he placed chains on the man and nudged him towards the wagon. "You were caught stealing and threatening the local townspeople for money. You will be put on trial and punished accordingly by the law."

The older male started shouted more profanities before Jongho had other knights escort the thief away. Many of the townsfolk started approaching the captain with grateful smiles.

"Thank you so much, sir," One woman had walked up with her children, looking relieved. Another man also came up beside her. "There's been many thieves and thugs showing up in this area recently, I was worried that something worst may have happened if you knights haven't shown up."

"We're just glad we could be of help," Jongho answered sincerely. "It is our duty and desire to protect everyone in Aurora. No matter the circumstances."

That part, at least to Jongho, was the reason he became a knight in the first place. The red/black haired knight had always wanted to help others, rather than stay cooped up within the palace walls. His strength, which he had had since childhood, had also added to that ambition.

It had been Hongjoong who had suggested he take up swordplay, so that he could become a knight. A way to hone and sharpen his skills (figuratively and literally).

It took around four years of intense training before he was officially knighted by Hongjoong, and eventually promoted to captain of the Kingdom's knights. 

He recalled the nervous pride he felt when Hongjoong announced his knight status in front of the entire kingdom, his friends' faces as they congratulated him afterwards, throwing a private party between themselves.

Jongho's hand went to the sword strapped to his hip. Seonghwa had been the one to give Jongho his first sword, made out of the crystals that only grew in Aurora's caves. The blade was beautiful, a shade between blue and white, but the blade was just as sharp as any other sword. 

"It is a bit flashy, but I hope you find it useful," Seonghwa had told him, after presenting it to the younger with a smile. "Let's both do our best to protect everyone in Aurora." 

Jongho took the eldest's words to heart, always going out on patrols, talking with the townsfolk and villagers. It was a great way to spend his days, learning about the citizens and keeping an eye out for everyone.

Although he simply smiled and thanked Seonghwa at that moment, Jongho had asked Wooyoung a few days later to enchant the sword so that it was more difficult to break. Jongho always carried the sword with him, feeling comfort that his brothers had his back. 

"They've been getting bolder, especially along the Northern borders," the man, who had came up beside the woman, commented, glancing at Jongho with worry. That startled the knight from his thoughts. "We appreciate the knights coming here to patrol. The borders have been more dangerous recently."

"Is that so? Has anything else happened?" Asked Jongho, frowning as crossed his arms, thinking. He had heard from Seonghwa and Yeosang that the neighboring kingdoms had been on edge after the last conference, but he didn't think they were petty enough to send thieves or spies to Aurora. Mostly due to there being many knights patrolling the borders. 

The man shook his head, looking mystified. "Mostly just petty thugs or thefts, but men like the one earlier have been trying to occupy most of the villages up North. Just come in and do what they want, to be honest." 

Jongho nodded, giving a small smile. "I'll look into that, hopefully it will be resolved soon. Thank you for your cooperation." He'll have to report this to the others, he thought, waving to the children as he walked to his horse. It was strange, since the northern border was unoccupied by any kingdom. It meant that someone was using that territory, but for what Jongho was uncertain about. That thought was what worried the knight the most. 

\--- A Few Hours Later ---

Jongho got off his horse at the next town, rewarding the throroughbred with an apple. He turned to the small cottage he stood in front.

The place looked slightly worn down, but still carried a cozy and welcoming feeling. The small cottage was made of wood, a reddish brown shade, with a small porch and well in the front yard. 

Jongho walked closer to the door, hand poised to knock on the wooden surface. However, he noticed some thumping noise, followed by a roar. 

"I'm gonna get you all!" the booming voice echoed, immediately followed by the sound of laugher and screams. The orphanage door burst opened, and a bunch of children ran out, giggling and screaming. Jongho quickly moved out of the way for the group of children. 

"Where are you going? Hmmm?? You better tidy up or I'm gonna eat you!" Jongho looked towards the sound of the voice, fairly amused. A tall, brown haired male, Mingi, came storming out of the cottage, arms out, dinosaur style, and pretending to scowl, scrunching up his face. 

The tall brunette was wearing an apron, which seemed to be covered in paint. He stood there, as the children ran about, laughing as they picked up their toys, that were scattered throughout the front yard. 

"That's right, you better clean up your toys, or they'll be mine," Mingi said, playfully dancing around. The children laughed, bringing the toys to Mingi, who grinned widely and placed them in the large, wooden toy box that sat near the door. 

"Mingi-oppa is too nice to be evil," squealed one of the girls, just as Mingi ruffled her hair. The other children nodded, talking all at once.

"Yeah, Mingi-hyung reads stories for us!"

"Mingi-hyung lets us help in the kitchen!"

"Mingi-oppa, we love you!" 

Mingi put his arms around all the children, who happily snuggled into the man's sweater arms. 

"I love you all too," Mingi said cheerfully, giving them a big smile. "Okay, it's almost time for dinner. Go and wash up and help Hana, okay?" 

"Okay!" The children shouted together, running inside the house loudly. 

Mingi smiled and then yawned, stretching his arms above his head. 

"Looks like you've been busy hyung," Jongho said, finally approaching the brunette. Mingi startled, jumping back in shock. 

"Geez Jongho, where did you come from?" Mingi exclaimed in shock. "You scared me for a second!" Jongho grinned. 

Mingi quickly got over his shocked and soon wrapped his arms around Jongho, squeezing the knight in a large hug. "I should be saying that. I haven't seen you in awhile!"

Jongho waited a few minutes before Mingi pulled away, looking at the man gratefully. 

"I'm glad everything's been well here," the knight said, noting the improvements made to the roof and windows of the orphanage. The scratches and decayed material had been removed, replaced with new tiles and glass. "Looks like Hongjoong-hyung and Seonghwa-hyung got things sorted out here."

Mingi nodded proudly. "Yeah, I'm glad too. Now all the kids can sleep well during the winter. Wait a minute, that's besides the point. It's not you to just pop up in this area, Jongho. Did something happen during patrol?"

Jongho's smile faltered for a moment. Mingi, despite their friends, and Mingi himself, joking that he was the most oblivious at times, could also be startlingly observant when he needed to be. Mingi was partly correct with his question, though. 

Jongho rarely stopped by just to visit anyone, including his friends. He preferred to be out in the open, exploring and helping out the townspeople. The only time he did drop by unannounced was usually to surprise one of his hyungs, or if something urgent happened. 

Jongho looked at Mingi with a reluctant expression. "Well, there's been a slight issue, hyung..."

After recapping his previous encounter with the thieves and what he heard from the townspeople, Mingi had a real scowl on his face.

"Geez, who would think it's such a good idea to go around raiding villages. It's like asking for a war with Aurora!" Mingi exclaimed in anger. "Cowards won't even reveal themselves, damnit. Did you investigate anything yet, or?"

Jongho shook his head. "No, I decided to report to Hongjoong-hyung and Seonghwa-hyung before doing any large scale investigation," he answered, uncertain. "I don't want to cause anymore border skirmishes or start any conflicts without getting their advice." Mingi nodded, looking thoughtful. Well guess that means we have to leave tomorrow at dawn, then." Jongho's head snapped up in surprise. 

"We?" Jongho asked in confusion. Mingi nodded, untying the apron around his waist. "What do you mean by 'we'?"

Mingi gave him a grin. "I'm coming back to the palace with you, of course! I'll ask Hana to look after everyone here while you escort me."

"Escort? Hyung, aren't you busy here?" Jongho asked, looking at the brunette in shock. "Hana might not like it. Besides, I planned on leaving tonight. I just dropped by to catch up with you for a bit, hyung. You don't need to come with me if you're busy at the orphanage."

Mingi shook his head and crossed his arms. "I've been meaning to head back anyways." He said easily. "Also, you seem like you needed someone to talk to after the last few patrols." The brunette moved towards the door of the orphanage, apron in hand. He turned to look at Jongho, gesturing towards the entrance. "You coming in or just gonna stay like that for the rest of the night?" Jongho blinked at Mingi in surprise. His hyung offered to come back to the palace with him. Up until now, Jongho had dreaded doing reports for his hyungs about how patrol went and any issues that came up. Then his confusion slowly turned into gratefulness. Jongho found himself smiling as he shot a grateful look as he walked towards Mingi. "Sure, why not...we'll leave tomorrow morning before sunrise, hyung."

"Sounds good," Mingi replied with a grin, as the two made their way inside of the small orphanage, the door closing shut behind the two of them. 


	6. Pirate King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hongjoong wonders where Seonghwa is, worried, until the two are finally face-to-face. Seonghwa tries his best to act normal, but the painful memories of what will happen causes his heart to ache everytime he sees the other. 
> 
> WARNING: Brief mentions of VIOLENCE, BLOOD, GORE and DECAPITATION. If you are uncomfortable with this sensitive content, I strongly suggest: PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS. 
> 
> YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The two of them finally meet again in this timeline! This was a pretty difficult chapter to write for some reason (probably cause of what happened in chapter 1 I guess). I really took some time to develop what Seonghwa would be feeling at this moment, cause I didn't want to truncate what happened before, haha. 
> 
> Due to college and work, I plan to release a chapter each week (Friday or Saturday). I might post more frequently before exam season (not really sure yet). Also, chapters will be progressively longer, to make up for the wait time! Thanks for the support, I'm happy that many of you are enjoying the story so far :)
> 
> Please enjoy!

= Seonghwa P.O.V. =

Seonghwa briskly walked down the long corridor, readjusting his jacket as he did. The long, while petticoat, with gold trim around the neck and his sleeves along with the matching white pants and dress shoes, really made the male stand out. Or perhaps it was because he was late that the palace staff stared after him as he passed through the hallways. Seonghwa sighed, holding the stack of papers in one hand while using the other to brush his hair. His blonde hair. 

Seonghwa remembered that it was Wooyoung who had decided to dye his hair black, saying that it would make the eldest look "even more sexy"...then proceeded to use his magic to change Seonghwa's hair colour before the eldest could refuse. 

Seonghwa had gotten used to the dark shade of his hair, and it definitely did garner more unnecessary attention from both females and males alike. His Majesty, albeit slightly embarrassed, even said the colour suited Seonghwa. However, Seonghwa no longer cared about looking better with black hair. Instead, the thought of dyeing his hair black made Seonghwa feel sick. 

Because he was executed a few months after. 

Maybe I'll have Wooyoung dye my hair a different colour, Seonghwa thought, before coming to a stop. Or I'll just keep my hair the way it is now. Hesitantly, he turned to the hallway windows, catching his reflection staring back at him. Seonghwa looked at his appearance and let out a soft sigh. With his white and gold advisor clothing, gold chained glasses and his hands full of papers, Seonghwa looked like exactly what people saw him as, and what he had been up until the trial. The royal advisor and right hand man to His Majesty, who swore loyalty to the kingdom of Aurora.

Who would have thought he'd be branded as a traitor and wrongly executed by his own friends less than a year from now? Seonghwa shuddered at the thought, biting his lip. 

"I have to live," the advisor murmured, voice taking on a determined tone. "If I avoid death, then I can figure out who the real spy is." If he lived, he could help his friends and the rest of Aurora, as he had promised when he swore allegiance the the crown. Of course, in order for Seonghwa to stand a chance of living into the future, it also meant avoiding any red flags that would set him on the path of death and destruction. 

One of the biggest red flags that Seonghwa couldn't really avoid was the person he had to see everyday. His Majesty, the ruler of the kingdom of Aurora. As the king's royal advisor, Seonghwa was responsible of organizing and reporting His Majesty's agenda each morning, as well as debrief each meeting and discuss finances at the end of the day. 

In the past, Seonghwa and His Majesty would have been attached together at the hip, a sight that captivated many onlookers as they passed through the the palace halls. The two visuals of Aurora, San had dubbed them. Peas in a pod that couldn't be separated even if you've tried. 

Now Seonghwa had to find some way to change that. Unless he wanted to feel the force of the guillotine's blade on his neck again, feel his heart break as his friends gazed at him with anger and contempt. Reflexively, the advisor placed a hand in his neck, hand trembling, before turning away from the window and continuing onwards the end of the hall. It won't happen, Seonghwa thought, once again picking up the pace. Since I'll make sure to draw the line between us. 

\--- Later ---

Eventually, Seonghwa arrived in front of the large, mahogany doors leading to the Throne room. Holding the papers in hand, Seonghwa took a moment to compose himself. He couldn't just go in without some plan; most of his friends had already noticed his odd behavior. He knew if he wanted to stay low, he had to act as though nothing was wrong. Even if he knew what would happen in a about a year from now. 

Especially in front of His Majesty. His Majesty and Seonghwa knew each other the best, even within their tightly knitted family. So His Majesty would definitely notice if the eldest was acting strange; and Seonghwa did not want to give the ruler any opportunity to be suspicious of him. Just act natural. 

Seonghwa wore a neural expression on his face as he knocked three times on the large doors. A muffled voice came from inside.

"Enter."

Seonghwa took a deep breath and opened the large wooden doors, stepping into the Throne room. Due to the crystal and glass panes on the left side of the room, sunlight often filtered through the Throne room, even now, despite it being late in the afternoon. Seonghwa always liked the Throne room for its simple elegance and spaciousness. It was also easy to clean as well. 

All the seats in the room were empty of course, any guests or observers long gone given the time. Seonghwa quickly checked his pocket watch: it was almost 5 in the afternoon. He was definitely late. Seonghwa looked up: at the far side of the room, there was a large, gold gilded and red velvet padded throne. Someone was currently occupying the seat. 

Seonghwa walked closer and kneeled, head down, eyes focused on the velvet carpet beneath him as he spoke to the figure on the throne. "I, royal advisor Park Seonghwa, announce my presence to His Majesty, Kim Hongjoong, of the kingdom of Aurora. I ask for forgiveness for my incompetence towards the time, and thus rudely kept Your Majesty waiting." 

The figure on the throne responded in silence. Seonghwa was tempted to look up, but his kept his head down; it was protocol to keep kneeling until the king allowed him to stand. 

"...you may rise." A smooth, higher toned voice answered. Seonghwa bowed as he stood up, poised, finally making eye contact with the figure. White, silver hair, button nose and distinct jawline. The king was dressed in red robes, with gold trimmings along the sleeves and collar, similar to Seonghwa's clothing. A gold leafed crown rested on top of the king's head, solidifying the charismatic aura surrounding him. 

His Majesty was also staring at Seonghwa, an unreadable look at his face, chin propped up by one of his hands. Then, suddenly, he broke out into a smile, startling Seonghwa. 

"Took you long enough to arrive," the man grinned, getting up from his throne and stretching. "You had me worried there for a second! Are you still upset about last time? I'm sorry that I took your shirt without telling you!"

Seonghwa blinked, thrown off by the other's carefree attitude towards him. He hadn't seen His Majesty smile like that in a long time. From news about Jongho and Yeosang, up until Seonghwa's death, His Majesty always was scowling or stoic, the events at the time deeply affecting the king. Seeing the king smile genuinely made Seonghwa realize how much he missed speaking and spending time with his friends, especially the silver haired male in front of him.

Of course, it also reminded Seonghwa of his last moments and encounter with them. 

They didn't believe you, even at the very end, Seonghwa's thoughts whispered menacingly. They didn't give you a chance to prove your innocence...perhaps the bonds between you and them aren't as strong as you believed they were in the first place. Seonghwa felt his head start to pound, temples throbbing in pain. No, that's wrong. It can't be true. 

Oh? Then why are you so scared of this man? Seonghwa's vision began to darken, parts of the room growing fuzzy, and the headache growing worse. The voice continued, piercing through his frail mental defense. Why does the sight of him cause you to tremble so much, to cause you to remember what happened? The hand that signalled your very death is right in front of you. Do you really believe that the king wouldn't do the same thing again?

Seonghwa's death started flashing through his mind rapidly. Him begging in the prison cell. His Majesty turning away. Being led up to the guillotine. The last thing he did was look into those cold eyes. The blood. The Pain. The Agony. The cold feeling of despair spreading through his body as he died without anyone by his side, in front of his friends and the rest of the kingdom. So cold-

Suddenly he felt a hand pressed against his cheek, warmth emanating from it and spreading through the rest of Seonghwa. Jolting back to reality, he blinked in surprise as he found the king standing a few inches away from his face, looking worried. His Majesty's hand was pressed gently to his cheek, cupping it and pulling Seonghwa's face to the other's. 

"Hwa, are you okay?"The silver haired male asked, eyes full of worry and a tenderness Seonghwa had long ago forgot the other could show to him. If anything, Seonghwa wished this moment would last forever, to bask in the warmth of the other, and reminisce about the beautiful, untainted memories of his friends, no, his family. 

"Hwa?" The nickname immediately made Seonghwa sober up. No, remember Seonghwa. If you continue this way, you will only face death. Seonghwa remembered how quick His Majesty was to stop using that nickname as well, resorting to only calling Seonghwa by his name or just 'you'. 

Seonghwa pulled away first, giving the king a smile. "I apologize for that, Your Majesty," Seonghwa said, immediately focused on his task, the main reason he came here in the first place. "I don't wish to keep you waiting here any longer, as you must be exhausted after these meetings. I will be quick with tomorrow's agenda and the financial report." 

Briskly, Seonghwa turned on his heel and made his way to the throne, coming to stand beside it and started leafing through his stack of papers. However, he heard no footsteps approaching him. Seonghwa looked up from his papers and saw the king's startled expression. 

"Your Majesty?" Seonghwa prompted, gesturing towards the throne. "Please do take a seat." 

The other male pursed his lips, but said nothing as he made his way towards Seonghwa, resting on top of the throne and motioning the advisor to begin his report. Seonghwa nodded and began. "..."

\--- Later ---

"It would be best to allocate the funds to the West to help with this year's final harvest," Seonghwa concluded, handing the file to the king, who took it silently. "Given last year's drought, we will be in a slight deficit, but likely this harvest will make up around fifty percent of the previous loss."

The king nodded, scanning through the page carefully before signing the document. Seonghwa took the paper and placed it in the envelope, ready to send to the treasury later. "I believe that is all for today, Your Majesty." Seonghwa looked at his watch: it was 6 o' clock, right in time for dinner. The advisor felt bad that he kept the other here for so long. He turned towards the king to let him know that they were finished. Strangely, the other had been unusually quiet during the entire briefing, occasionally asking questions about the proposals and report. Seonghwa remembered that the other would usually throw in a few comments and the two of them would have a small conversation while going through proposals to help pass the time. However, it seemed more like the other had been staring at Seonghwa during the entirety of the briefing. 

"Your Majesty," Seonghwa said, looking at the king in concern. "Is something on your mind?" 

The king seemed to murmur something under his breath. Seonghwa couldn't hear him, so he tried asking again.

"Is everything alright, Your Majesty-" The silver haired male slammed his fist against the armrest, causing the throne to shake, the sound also echoing throughout the large room. Seonghwa blinked in shock. The king looked up at Seonghwa, teeth gritted as he shot an intense gaze towards him. 

"Let me ask you that question, Hwa," the king asked quietly, but firmly. "Is there something on your mind?" 

Seonghwa could feel the other's intense gaze as he shuffled through the papers, trying hard to show his nervousness. Did he do anything wrong? The king sounded upset about something, but what?

"I don't know what you mean," Seonghwa said carefully, picking up the stack of paper. "I am simply doing my job, Your Majesty-"

The air seemed to get colder as the king's expression grew darker. Seonghwa began to feel even more nervous. The king got up and faced Seonghwa, eyes narrowed. "Why do you keep referring to me like that?"

Seonghwa stared in confusion. "What do you mean, Your Majesty..." 

As the king gave Seonghwa another blatant glare, Seonghwa immediately realized his mistake. Your Majesty. 

In the past, Seonghwa had never called the king His/Your Majesty in private, and the king never called Seonghwa Advisor Park. It was always Hongjoongie, or Hongjoong, Hwa, or Seonghwa-hyung.

Seonghwa began to panic slightly as he realized his slip up. That was why the others were acting like that, the advisor thought in dismay. Seonghwa had wanted to avoid garnering any unwanted attention to himself, but he managed to do all of that with just two words. 

Why didn't I call His Majesty, no, Hongjoong, by his name sooner? Seonghwa thought desperately, trying to come up with any possible explanation that the other would believe. 

Because, his inner voice answered solemnly, he didn't want you, a traitor, to call him that. Even with your last breath. 

Coming across this realization, once again, Seonghwa felt a fracture of fear take hold in his brittle heart. 

= Hongjoong P.O.V. =

Hongjoong had been having a rough day. Seonghwa, his advisor, had yet to show up with today's report, and the ruler was stuck sitting through meetings with various bodies since dawn. Most of the nobles that came to Hongjoong usually wanted more funds to expand their wealth, with no consideration for helping the townspeople and surrounding villages in their territory. 

It infuriated Hongjoong to no end, having to listen to them ramble about throwing extravagant parties and banquets for the king, to which he would politely (if not, firmly) turn their invitations down. If he could, he would have stripped them of their titles long ago, had Seonghwa warned him from doing so.

"We would first have to find qualified people to take over their position," the eldest had said reasonably. "If the nobles were kicked out, there would still be no one to send funds to the townspeople. If not, a power struggle amongst the nobility for succession; better to have at least someone to report the status of each territory, then leave any opportunity for unwanted bloodshed." 

So, Hongjoong and Seonghwa had been working on finding proper replacements for the current nobles. Luckily, the two of them were close to covering most of the territories across Aurora, so it was only a matter of time before those nobles were stripped of their titles and power.

Seonghwa. Hongjoong had never wanted to become king, but the blonde male had convinced him to do so, for the sake of the kingdom. Hongjoong was indeed the sole heir to the throne of Aurora, given that his father had never remarried or had any children after his mother, the queen, had passed away during childbirth. Of course, that didn't make his father a saint; if anything, he was the exact opposite. The current king had resented his father, who always was out for blood; the former king of Aurora had sought for glory, by starting wars and selling off land to other kingdoms to consolidate his own power.

Hongjoong's father had never prioritized the people, even when he died from illness. The country had been heavily taxed, plunging many citizens into poverty. Severe punishments, such as flogging and beheading, were handed out to anyone who uttered blasphemy towards the royal family. Hongjoong recalled the times where his father forced him to attend public executions, watching innocent people pleading for mercy, crying right before their heads were chopped off, and, with blood and flesh still dripping down the decapitated heads, placed on pikes in town square. A sick display and reminder to those that dare speak out against the king. 

Hongjoong felt utter misery and pain as he saw the bloody heads taking at him, milky eyes sightless, their expressions frozen in fear right before death. Hongjoong remembered growing up after his first execution. After the fifth or sixth one, he learned to hide his disgust and disapproval. However, seeing the state of Aurora gradually deteriorate made Hongjoong despise his royal lineage and the noble factions. He despised the looks of fear the people have him as he passed by, but he couldn't blame them, given the tyrant his father is. 

It wasn't until he fled home and came across a group of seven boys that Hongjoong would work up the determination to return, and to right the wrongs that his father committed towards the kingdom. 

He remembered Seonghwa's words before he was crowned. "Hongjoongie, let's rebuild Aurora to be a safe haven for everyone." Hongjoong recalled taking the other's hand, feeling the warmth and reassurance that he needed to move forward and claim the title as king.

And that's what they and the others had done; they had rebuild Aurora to be the prosperous and safe haven for everyone. It took a few years to go through everything that the former king had done, including the kingdom's messed up budget, the alliances and conflicts with other kingdoms, and the executions and taxes on the citizens. At first, many had been hesitant to trust Hongjoong, given his lineage, but eventually the citizens realized that their new king was by far different and kinder than his father. 

Hongjoong was now seen as the young, but ambitious and kind hearted leader that steered Aurora back down the right path. And it was all due to the support of his close friends that allowed him to lead the kingdom. 

Hongjoong had offered his friends positions in the palace simply because he trusted them; not just because they were friends, but also because he believed they were the right fit for the job. His friends never once disappointed him; together, the eight of them united the kingdom of Aurora that had been fragmented by the former king. Eight makes one team, they all said.

A knock on the doors brought Hongjoong back to the present. Who could that be at this time? Wondered Hongjoong. The king sat up, straightening his posture, before replying. 

"Enter." 

Hongjoong watched as the large wooden doors opened, and a familiar figure walked in. Hongjoong stared, but inside, he was relieved to see the other. He had been wondering where Seonghwa had been, concerned about whether he had been sick, given that the eldest liked to be punctual. 

What surprised him more was when Seonghwa got down on one knee, bowing his head as he spoke. "I, royal advisor Park Seonghwa, announce my presence to His Majesty, Kim Hongjoong, of the kingdom of Aurora. I ask for forgiveness for my incompetence towards the time, and thus rudely kept Your Majesty waiting."

Hongjoong blinked, then realized. Oh, he thought, maybe he wanted to do formalities in case someone else was nearby. The royal advisor and king both agreed to keep things professional if they were in public, in case rumors of corruption were to surface. 

Hongjoong nodded in approval, before realizing that the other still had his head down. "...you may rise." Hongjoong watched as Seonghwa raised his head, bowing as he stood up and the two looked at each other. Just seeing the blonde male made the tension in his shoulders lessen. Hongjoong always appreciated the time Seonghwa took to dedicate himself to his work, but also using his time to look after the others. 

Hongjoong smiled at the thought, and then got up to stretch. "Took you long enough to arrive! You had me worried there for a second! Are you still upset about last time? I'm sorry that I took your shirt without telling you!" 

At first, when Seonghwa didn't say anything, Hongjoong just assumed the other was thinking of some witty remark to say back. However, when Hongjoong took a closer look, he saw that blonde male was just staring out listlessly, as though he was in deep thought. 

Now Hongjoong was slightly alarmed. "Hwa?" There was no reply. Immediately, the silver haired male walked away from the throne and towards the other, coming to stand right in front of him. Seonghwa didn't even blink. It was more like he was seeing through Hongjoong. Seeing the eldest like this, so withdrawn from the world, made Hongjoong feel uneasy. 

So, Hongjoong reached out with his hand, cupping Seonghwa's cheek and gazing into the other's eyes. Upon touch, the eldest felt cold for some reason, skin slightly clammy. This time, Seonghwa seemed to react, and Hongjoong watched as the other slowly began to come back to his senses, to Hongjoong. 

"Hwa, are you okay?" Hongjoong was supposed to be the one exhausted, but seeing Seonghwa like this made the king want to call it a day for the both of them. He didn't want the other to overwork himself. Before he could say anything else though, Seonghwa drew away from Hongjoong's touch.

"I apologize for that, Your Majesty," Seonghwa said, who seems to gather himself rather quickly. "I don't wish to keep you waiting here any longer, as you must be exhausted after these meetings. I will be quick with tomorrow's agenda and the financial report."

Hongjoong paused to analyze Seonghwa's words. Your Majesty? Hongjoong was baffled by the other's use of the term. It was only the two of them in the throne room, during which they would drop the formalities and just call each other by their names or nicknames. 

Seonghwa's voice cut through Hongjoong's train of thought, asking him if he was going to sit down. Hongjoong looked up, thinking for a second, then went to sit down on the throne. It was probably a mistake, he reasoned to himself, as he watched the advisor sort through some papers. Hongjoong was sure that Seonghwa was just messing with him about referring to him as 'You Majesty'. 

\--- Later ---

Awhile later, Hongjoong was growing increasingly frustrated with the eldest. If this was a joke, then Seonghwa was taking a long time with the punch line. Throughout the entire briefing, Seonghwa continued to refer to Hongjoong as 'Your Majesty", and never once as Hongjoong or Hongjoongie.

Hongjoong had no problem with strangers and people addressing him by his title; he understood most felt obligated to, considering he was their king. But hearing it from one of his close friends, especially from Seonghwa, felt uncomfortable. Despite the two of them being in the same room, it felt like they were miles away from each other, merely as king and advisor.

It was like Seonghwa was drawing a line between the two of them, and Hongjoong couldn't figure out why the other would do so in the first place. So the king spent the last hour simply staring at Seonghwa, hoping the eldest would catch the hint and explain the deal with the formal address. "Why are treating me as though I'm a complete stranger," Hongjoong murmured quietly, feeling himself get upset with each passing second. Seonghwa didn't seemed to hear Hongjoong's words, continuing his report. 

However, the other remained oblivious. As soon as Seonghwa asked him if something was wrong, Hongjoong snapped, fist clenched as he slammed it on the armrest of the throne, harder than he intended. But Hongjoong felt his patience weaning. He desperately needed an explanation; did he do something wrong? Is that why Seonghwa was acting this distant? Was the eldest unwell? Did Hongjoong give him too much work? 

"Why do you keep referring to me like that?" Hongjoong finally gritted out, teeth clenched as he glared at Seonghwa. Just call me by my name, the silver haired male silently urged. 

Seonghwa looked askance. "What do you mean Your Majesty..." When the other trailed off, Hongjoong knew the blonde male had finally realized. However, what Hongjoong didn't expect was the look of fear that flashed across the eldest's face. 

This made Hongjoong even more worried and frustrated. Why was...Seonghwa looking at him...in fear? It was the same look people gave him when his father was alive, ordering large scale, mass executions. It was an expression that made Hongjoong feel sick; it was the one expression he hoped he would never see on any of his friends' faces. 

"Hwa..." Feeling slightly guilty for losing his temper and patience, Hongjoong took a step towards Seonghwa, hand touching the other's shoulder for comfort. It felt like the other was distancing himself from Hongjoong, and Hongjoong had no idea why. But Hongjoong decided to wait for the other to explain first, instead of just yelling. What happened next shocked both Hongjoong and Seonghwa. 

Hongjoong felt Seonghwa flinch from the contact. Hongjoong watched as the advisor's hand made brief contact with the king's, right before the other violently slapped Hongjoong's hand away. 

Hongjoong inhaled in shock, staring at his hand before making eye contact with Seonghwa, who looked just as shocked of his own actions.

Seonghwa immediately backed away, bowing hastily. "I apologize, Your Majesty, I mean Hongjoong, I think I am just a bit tired from work. I will retire for the night." He said to Hongjoong, giving a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I will be back tomorrow around noon with the reports." 

"Hwa, wait a minute!" Hongjoong was about to tell the other to stay, but Seonghwa simply bowed again and quickly exited the throne room. But not before Hongjoong noticing the shadow that fell across the eldest's face as the doors shut behind him. Hongjoong was now the only one left in the empty throne room, staring at the doors where Seonghwa had fled through. His rejected hand clenched in a fist as he looked forlorn. Did something happen to Seonghwa? 

The question brought a senses of dread upon the king, who merely frowned as he went to contact Yunho, stepping out of the throne room. Hongjoong looked around, but it seemed that the other had already left the surrounding area for who knows where. 

Whatever it is that's wrong with Seonghwa, Hongjoong was determined to find out. He refused to leave it alone if one of his close friends was in pain.


	7. Say My Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seonghwa takes some time to recuperate his thoughts. He feels his resolve begin to waver, the wounds and trauma he experienced slowly seeping in his mind, and changing the way he looked at his bonds with everyone. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Yunho and Hongjoong share their encounters with Seonghwa to each other, trying to figure out how to help the royal advisor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter mentions content of VIOLENCE, GORE, BLOOD and MURDER. If you feel uncomfortable or are sensitive with any of this content, DO NOT READ. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. 
> 
> Chapter 6 coming in! Sorry that it's late ahhh TT
> 
> Also for other Atinys, you probably already noticed the dates and references (sprinkled them throughout the entirety of this story); this chapter is gonna have quite a few (I'm still relatively new to the fandom, so please go easy on me) ;) 
> 
> NOTE: I will likely be pausing chapter updates for 3-4 weeks so I can study for school (exams rip). It's not really a long term hiatus (more like a short break cause school's been hectic, haha). Once winter break rolls in, I'll be able to get more chapters done! 
> 
> Thank you all for the patience and support :) 
> 
> Please enjoy!

= Seonghwa P.O.V. =

Seonghwa fled through the palace corridors as soon as the throne room doors shut on him and His Majes- Hongjoong. If it was any normal day, Seonghwa would have been worried about how others would perceive him, as he was someone who cared very much about maintaining a professional image as the palace advisor. At this moment, however, the advisor could care less about who saw him in his panicked state. 

All he cared about was placing as much distance as he could from the other, after that dreadful conversation that left both of them in shock.

Eventually, Seonghwa came up to his own bed chambers. Slamming the door and throwing his cloak onto the wooden chair, Seonghwa flopped non graciously onto his bed, face turned upwards at the ceiling. His mind was reeling in dismay; the advisor couldn't believe he hadn't realized sooner. Seonghwa even slapped Hongjoong's hand before he could stop himself.

Of course it would have been weird for this Hongjoong, Seonghwa thought, gazing up at the ceiling of his room blankly. Given how close we were when we were children, we've always called each other like that, even after he became king. Now that his blunder was revealed to him, Seonghwa felt even more mortified. The blond male threw an arm over his face, and he found himself closing his eyes, thoughts askew from this recent encounter. Yet, at the same time, he found his mind drifting elsewhere... Seonghwa began to imagine himself back when he was five, playing in the small rural village near the sea. 

He recalled the smell of sea salt from the ocean, the feeling of sand beneath his feet as he ran along the coastal shores with the rest of his friends. The sound of laughter and screaming rang through his ears as the eight of them raced each other back and forth from home to the edge of the cliff overlooking the entire coast and beach. Seonghwa missed the open air, where he could clearly see the blue sky as he felt someone grasp his hand.

Seonghwa could immediately tell who it was. Hongjoong, the newest member of their friend group, their family. He could feel warmth of Hongjoong's hand as the other smiled at him fondly, before pulling him towards the others that were waiting up ahead for them. 

Yunho.Yeosang. San. Mingi. Wooyoung. Jongho. Everyone was there, waving and calling out to Seonghwa and Hongjoong. He pictured the exhilaration and anticipation as he ran with Hongjoong, meeting the rest of his friends halfway before they all headed back to the village to eat and listen to stories by the campfire. The eldest cradled the calming memory, and sighed bitterly. Such a pure and simple memory, but one he treasured dearly. It was a time where they could be carefree. A place that they called home. 

...I want to go back. Seonghwa thought desperately, miserably. I don't want to care about the future for once. I just want to live like this, by their side. By his side. No responsibilities over anything. Seonghwa rolled over, curling into himself on the black satin sheets. Knowing what will happen between them all in less than a year...was burdensome and lonely for one person to shoulder. 

But you can't. That is the price you have to pay, for the chance to save their lives. Seonghwa jerked his head up, looking to see where the disembodied voice came from. There was no one other hand himself in the bedroom. But the advisor had a good idea as to who gave him the reminder. 

Seonghwa shook his head in resignation. Of course, he chose this for himself, and for everyone else. He was given another chance to change the future, into a future where the kingdom was safe, his friends alive and well. 

Yet it also meant Seonghwa had to pretend that he didn't know anything, especially in front of his friends. Pretend that he didn't know about their falling out. Pretend he knew nothing about an ongoing plot in the castle. Pretend that he didn't know about the pain that would be inflicted upon him by none other than his own friends, leaving nothing but a empty shell of himself at the gullotine. He wanted to bask in the past and enjoy his last few moments with everyone, and resign himself to his death, if it meant spending more time with the seven of them. 

Seonghwa also wanted despise his friends for their distrust in him, to do nothing more than cut things off and flee, so that he wouldn't have to experience his execution...Nor the thought that everyone explicitly labelled him a traitor to the kingdom and the family he cherished with his entire heart. 

But seeing Yeosang alive, hearing Wooyoung and San's laughter, looking at Yunho's honest expression and Hongjoong's smile... Seonghwa felt his anger and bitterness slowly fade away at those moments. Although he could never forget the gaping hole in heart during and after his execution, Seonghwa also couldn't find it in himself to completely turn away from them. He still wanted them to be safe, to be happy. 

Seonghwa sat up on his bed, gears turning in his head. He turned towards his desk, where his ink jar and quills sat in waiting. The advisor noticed that the sun had already set, and the sunlight in his room was slowly fading. Soon the crystals in his room would automatically light up once the room was dark enough, something that Wooyoung came up with during his research on the mana crystals in Aurora. 

Seonghwa got up and walked over to his desk, sitting down and reaching for a piece of paper and his quill. Dipping the quill into the ink jar, Seonghwa began to write down his plan. Being the royal advisor, Seonghwa was known for being someone that was organized and who planned ahead. He would definitely do that now for his current situation. First, he had to figure out what he knew as of now, and what will happen in the upcoming months. 

Seonghwa started with the dates. The current date was October 8th, the 19th year of the Sunrise calendar era. Leaving a few spaces after, he wrote out his execution date: July 29th, the 20th year of the Zero Fever calendar era. Then he began to fill in the rest of the details. 

December 4th, the 19th year of the Sunrise calendar year. Seonghwa jotted down a few words summarizing what happened. Yeosang had set out to sea to map out new resources of food and crystals that had been discovered in the mines, off the Northwest coast of Aurora. The other male had told only Seonghwa of his plan and the direct route knowing that the eldest would keep it a secret between them; the eldest agreed to the expedition. He recalled that the two of them had been looking into more resources for the kingdom, seeing how the past summer harvests had been doing poorly as a result of flooding or drought. Seonghwa frowned a bit as he drew a question mark beside Yeosang's name. At the time, he hadn't asked the white haired male about his reason for keeping this expedition off grid, assuming that it was to prevent gossip from traveling outside of the palace walls. However, looking at the memory now, Seonghwa felt that there was something else Yeosang was searching for. He would have to look into that beforehand.

January 6th, the 20th year of the Zero Fever calendar. If Seonghwa remembered, that was the date he arranged and sent out an expedition of 24 men to investigate the number of rapid border skirmishes. The advisor had received word that there were also signs of occupation of their lands from neighboring countries on the Northern side of the country. The person that had reported this information has been the Minister of National Security of Aurora; Seonghwa accepted the information given how long and how much the minister had dedicated to the kingdom. So after planning out the budget and resources needed for the mission, Seonghwa had asked Jongho to lead the expedition due to his knowledge and experience of the area. The youngest had accepted, and was quick to draft up and provide the eldest with the route and plans he would take to the area. 

February 12th, the 20th year of the Zero Fever calendar. Seonghwa felt a pang in his chest as he slowly wrote down the next few sentences. The palace had received a distress call from one of the sailors on ship with Yeosang. The entire ship, along with the crew, never made it to their destination. Instead, the remaining crewmate reported that the ship had been capsized somewhere between the Southwest and Northwest coasts. Hongjoong had sent out rescue teams to search for the expedition team and their ship. 

The rescue team found the ship completely dismantled. The one crewmate, along with another, had been found half starved and dying. The rest of the expedition team was missing. Only one of the lifeboats had been used, but it was found later, empty and floating a few miles away from the wreckage. On the king's orders, the rest of the Royal Navy searched for months, but could not find any of the remaining crew members, or Yeosang.

After searching for another two months, Yeosang was assumed to be dead by the Royal Navy and the search team was stopped. They argued that Yeosang was the best navigator in Aurora, and someone that couldn't possibly be "lost at sea". San and Wooyoung...began withdrawing themselves from the others and, after hearing about his involvement in Yeosang's plans, they avoided Seonghwa completely. 

Seonghwa ignored the knot in his stomach when he remembered Wooyoung's shouting when he found out the eldest knew of Yeosang's plans beforehand. San had been silent but refused to talk to Seonghwa afterwards. Shaking off the guilty feeling, Seonghwa continued to the next date.

February 27th, the 20th year of the Zero Fever calendar year. There had been an update of Jongho's mission of the Northern border. However, the news was far from being what Seonghwa and the others had wanted. The entire expedition, of 24 well trained knights, had been wiped out, brutalized to death. The day Jongho's death was discovered and announced along with the other knights. 

The villages and towns settled near the northern borders were pillaged, set on fire; civilians, whether it was men, women, or children, were mercilessly hunted down and murdered by an unaffiliated and unidentified assailants, sent by an unknown enemy. However, their main task, as found afterwards, when other royal knights apprehended a handful of them, was to assassinate the captain of the Royal knights and his squadron. They had been ordered to murder Jongho. 

Seonghwa paused for a moment, quill hovering over the page, as he recalled the devastation the news had caused for everyone. One of the worst parts of that day was that the youngest's body was the only one never found, despite how much Seonghwa and his friends had desperately searched the few months after. 

Seonghwa recalled that Yunho had spent the next few weeks tending to the injured and dying. He remembered how everytime he would see the other, the taller male's smile seemed less energetic as more people passed away from their injuries. It wasn't before long that Yunho collapsed from exhaustion after over-exerting himself, falling into Seonghwa's arms, pale and hacking up blood. Seonghwa had panicked, immediately calling for Hongjoong and another palace healer. Seonghwa would not see the healer until his execution day.

Mingi had punched Seonghwa in the grand hallway, furious at the eldest. Hongjoong, and a few knights, had to hold the red haired male back as he lunged at the advisor, attempting to throw another fist at Seonghwa, tears streaming down his cheeks. After the eldest read out the reports of orphanage that Mingi has been taking care of had been left a smoldering mess of ash and charred wood. After hearing that the children had been trapped inside when the building collapsed, suffocated to death from the fumes...nothing but burned, skinless corpses left behind. 

It wouldn't be until later that day, that Seonghwa would realize the likely reason for why the children hadn't left the orphanage. That the children were likely waiting for Mingi to return from his trip to the palace, who had promised baked goods for them as a reward upon returning to the orphanage. Mingi had asked them to be patient and wait inside while he was gone.

Mingi's agonized screams could be heard throughout the entire palace.

Seonghwa forcibly brought himself back to the present, the vivid memories shaking him to his core. Okay, thought Seonghwa, shaken, those are the most important dates that I can remember.

Now he had to figure out how to prevent those tragedies from happening. Seonghwa bit his lip as he went over the events he had written down, wincing when he came across Yeosang and Jongho's names. The first date was December 4th. The day Yeosang would set off to find and map out the major crystal mines and food resources on the Northwest coast. 

However, Seonghwa knew that the royal navigator would have started planning this expedition far in advance. Yeosang always made a habit of doing so for all of his and the others' quests, taking the time to look for any dangers and create alternative plans should anything go awry. 

Which was probably why Yeosang's colleagues from the Royal Navy found it hard to believe he was lost at sea, Seonghwa thought grimly, tapping the page with his quill. Easier for them to assume he was dead than lost. Then, all Seonghwa had to do was make sure Yeosang didn't go on this expedition in the first place. 

The one problem the advisor would have would be to explain why Yeosang shouldn't go. The whole reason the both of them agreed to carry out the expedition was because the harvest for the last few seasons had been poor, so Aurora needed new sources of food or trade. Seonghwa knew that Yeosang would see the benefits as worth more than the risks to himself. Yeosang was someone who was intelligent and calculating. He would insist on going, unless there was another solution that yielded equal or better results. 

Now all Seonghwa had to do was find this better alternative, and bring it up with Yeosang first, before the other could even suggest going on the expedition. It was the only way to prevent the navigator from setting sail to his unexpected doom. Seonghwa jotted these notes down on a separate page. 

As for Jongho, Seonghwa had to investigate his informants. Seonghwa began scribbling furiously with his quill. If what those assailants had told him and his friends was true that time, then that meant someone from within the palace walls would have been the one to issue that assassination. Someone that knew who Jongho was (and his position), which was not a lot of people, since the youngest kept a low profile, even in the public eye. Also, it had to have been someone that was aware that the expedition would be approved by Seonghwa and led by Jongho. 

Seonghwa wrote down a list of names, possible suspects for the assassination. The advisor picked up the list and thought for a moment. He would have to ask San, the eldest thought to himself, worried. San was a trained assassin for the Royals, the only person he could think of to be able to investigate these people swiftly, without anyone knowing. However, Seonghwa would have to come up with a fake reason to explain to San his request for looking into these people. 

Seonghwa circled San's name in contemplation. He would avoid asking San for now, the eldest concluded, until he found enough evidence or information that narrows down his list. Also, given his odd behavior before, Seonghwa knew the others would assume the advisor was being too paranoid and place him under more surveillance. More eyes on him would make things difficult for Seonghwa to move around and do research discreetly. 

So for the time being, Seonghwa had to play his role as he would any other day. He would be the royal advisor of Aurora, loyal to the kingdom and His Majesty, and close with everyone else in the palace. Meanwhile, Seonghwa would also be piecing together the puzzle as to who actually was the one who arranged for his friends' demise as well as laid Seonghwa's own head on the chopping block.

Even if it meant slowly, but surely, drifting away from his friends. Since that was Seonghwa's promise. 

Seonghwa wrote the last few words down, speaking them out loud in a gentle tone. A way to consolidate his resolve. His promise and will to survive. 

"I... won't cherish you all as I did in the past...for that was my one mistake...and regret."

= Hongjoong P.O.V. =

Hongjoong gave a tired smile to the flustered maid just before he entered the dining hall. The ruler of Aurora was feeling the toll of the long day, his stomach quietly growling in hunger after 8 hours of discussing royal affairs with dozens of people he could barely remember. 

But what made him come to the dining hall was the hopes of catching a certain royal advisor to talk about their earlier encounter. Hongjoong stood for awhile in the entrance of the dining hall, scanning the long table for the eldest. Unfortunately, the blonde male was nowhere to be seen. The Royal sighed as he went to sit in his regular spot, down at th fat end of the table. 

"Hyung! You actually made it!" An overly excited voice rang out from across the dining hall. Hongjoong rolled his eyes in amusement as he spotted Yunho happily waving a hand over from his seat three tables down. The king also noticed that San, Wooyoung and Yeosang were also seated with the healer, plates already filled with food. The healer wore a wide grin in his face as Hongjoong sat down beside him, who coughed slightly as he noticed some of the palace staff staring at them and smiling. 

The healer did have a knack for lifting up the tension in any room; Yunho always had endless energy to go around. As Hongjoong sat down, some maids came to fill up a wine glass and place a plate of fresh food in front of him. He gave a kind smile and thanked them before turning to his friends. 

"I should be surprised to see all of you together," Hongjoong pointed out with a chuckle. "Everyone always seems busy now, so none of us ever eat together much these days." 

San nodded furiously. "The workload had piled up! Wooyoung is always stuck in his tower, he's basically Rapunzel at this point," the assassin bemoaned, clutching his heart. "Me and Yeosang always have to suffer a billion flight of stairs just to get to him." Yeosang nodded as Wooyoung jokingly glared at the two.

"Well, I offered to just teleport you guys up, but you refused," The mage said indignantly, as he scooped a spoonful of pudding into his mouth. "Said you guys wanted all your limbs intact; despite the number one mage in Aurora being yours truly, why don't you guys trust me?" 

"No," everyone at the table said at once. Wooyoung almost choked on his pudding as he made a noise of protest. San and Yunho started laughing as Yeosang and Hongjoong smiled in amusement. Hongjoong enjoyed these moments of his day the most; being able to see his friends and talk casually, without titles or concerns about their responsibilities. It reminded the king of their childhood days back in the village. 

"Oh yeah, hyung," Yeosang's soft voice cut through Hongjoong's thoughts, as the white haired male turned to look at Hongjoong. "Did you get into a fight with Seonghwa-hyung?" At the mention of the advisor's name, Hongjoong winced as he immediately recalled the earlier events in the throne room. 

Wooyoung made a noise that sounded like a dying chicken as San shot up from his seat and pointed an accusing finger at Hongjoong. "I knew it! That's why hyung was acting strange this morning! Fess up, what happened between you two?" 

"I didn't do anything! I mean, not until a moment ago," Hongjoong protested, feeling very confused. So everyone else noticed that Hwa was acting strange, he thought. But if the advisor was already acting strangely, then it couldn't have been his fault. "He...kept calling me by my title. I thought he was joking at first, but he never once said my name." Hongjoong admitted, sulking slightly. 

Although Hongjoong wouldn't admit it out loud, he liked it when the other called him Hongjoong or Hongjoongie. It felt special when the eldest called him like that, as they were close friends; a small sign of affection. Hearing Seonghwa address him as 'Your Majesty' didn't sound like the eldest was talking to Hongjoong as a friend. Hongjoong felt like it was a way for the other to draw a line between them, alienate himself from Hongjoong. 

Hongjoong found it really unsettling. 

"Hongjoong-hyung, we didn't want to mention this until later, since you seem tired," Yunho said, looking slightly nervous all of a sudden. "But since you've also noticed Seonghwa-hyung's....well, I think now is a good time to tell you what happened." 

Hongjoong raised his eyebrows in surprise. So something did happen this morning, the king mused. That would explain why Seonghwa had been late with the report. If something happened with Seonghwa, Hongjoong wanted to know immediately. "Tell me everything." 

\--- Small Time Skip ---

Hongjoong listened from start to end as Yunho told him about the morning's events, with the others jumping in once in awhile to fill in any details the mint haired male missed. By the time he finished, everyone's plates had been cleared, but Hongjoong's stomach felt queasy. Not from the food, but from what he heard.

"You're telling me Hwa had an anxiety attack and he still went to do his job?" Hongjoong demanded, just as soon as Yunho finished his story. Now the shorter male felt really guilty that he snapped at the eldest. It always frustrated Hongjoong when Seonghwa refused to take any rest or even admit that he wasn't well. 

Yunho nodded, his normal smile replaced with a concerned frown. "Yeah, there seems to be something bothering him, but he won't tell us. Yeosang and I thought it would be a bad idea to ask him, in case we put him under anymore stress." 

"We thought you may know what it is that was in his mind," Yeosang piped in carefully. "You two are always together hyung, so we were going to ask you if you knew anything. Though..." Although the navigator trailed off, Hongjoong knew what the other was implying. Hongjoong didn't know what was bothering Seonghwa; he was just as clueless as the others. 

Hongjoong recalled how Seonghwa slapped away his hand in the throne room, eyes that seemed to see through him. The shadow that fell across the eldest's face as the throne room doors closed. The thought that Hongjoong couldn't figure out Seonghwa's emotions at that moment made Hongjoong feel helpless. He was supposed to give support to his friends, to protect them. But why hadn't he noticed that the eldest was struggling? It was like Seonghwa was a different person all of a sudden, or rather, as of he had reverted back to when they first met: cold and reserved, distant. 

Hongjoong took a deep breath before answering. He looked at the others, who were waiting for his response. "...I think we should observe Seonghwa carefully for the next few days," Hongjoong said, trying not to sound too worried. "Just try not to smother him, but see if he needs anything or feels like he want to talk with any of us." 

Yunho nodded. "Sounds like a good idea hyung," he said, a smile finally gracing his features. "I think Seonghwa-hyung will eventually talk to us when he feels comfortable." Yeosang nodded while San and Wooyoung each gave a thumbs up.

"Okay, I think I'll call it a night now," Hongjoong said softly, before getting up from his seat. His bones ached in protest as he smiled at his friends, who also gave him tired smiles. "Maybe we'll eat together next time, when Jongho and Mingi visit." 

"Yes, we should! Like the good old times," Yunho exclaimed happily, San clapping in agreement as Wooyoung shrieked in excitement. Hongjoong watched as the four of them headed out first, before Hongjoong started making his way out the dining hall last. 

Seonghwa's face still lingered on Hongjoong's mind, especially the look of fear in the eldest's eyes. How the blonde haired male felt so cold under his touch, despite having such a warm heart. He wanted to see the other's genuine smile, not the nervous and fake one he saw this afternoon. But first, Hongjoong wanted to find out the reason behind that fear. And he was ready to destroy the source of that fear for his hyung.

Even if Hongjoong himself was the reason for that fear.


	8. WAVE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jongho and Mingi arrive at the palace amidst the chaos and confusion. Mingi talks with Yunho and finds out about Seonghwa as well as the secret Yunho has been hiding. Yeosang is silently approached by Seonghwa about his hidden plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hope everyone reading this story is enjoying the plot so far :) This chapter is going to be a bit more chill than the last one (lots of context dropped in the last chapter, sorry for the information overload!) 
> 
> Also, I'm really sorry I took so long to post TT working during the Christmas season (and amidst a pandemic) is absolutely crazy, so I have been really tired and short on time for writing than what I thought originally. I didn't want to rush this story so I took some time in this chapter to develop some of the characters (background wise) to help fill in any gaps to the full storyline. I am still aiming to update each week, so please look forward to the rest of the story; I have no intentions of dropping this ff, but I want to take time to write it in a way that leaves both me and readers satisfied (and again, to avoid any plot holes in the future) Please be patient with me, haha. Also, I don't mean to drag out the drama or drop cliffhangers (they just kind of happen) :) 
> 
> Think of this chapter as a little break from all the angst (not all of it though) and a way to get to know the characters more in a nicer environment! 
> 
> Thank you for all the support:)  
> Please enjoy!

= Mingi P.O.V. =

Mingi did not mean to anger the pig. He just happened to accidentally step on its tail as he and Jongho were resting by a small lake, on the outskirts of the forested area. It had been about three days since the two of them had set off for the palace, going on horseback and resting each night, setting up camp and telling each other stories about their travels while separated. For the most part, they had not encountered any wild animals or threats so far, Jongho picking out the safest and quickest route for the two of them to take. Well, until that one pig came back with his entire army of fellow pigs. 

Which brought Mingi to their current (and early) situation of having a drove of pigs chasing after him and Jongho, the brunette choosing to climb up the nearest tree and cling to for dear life as Jongho proceeded to drive the wild animals off with his sword, all while muttering something (probably cursing) under his breath. 

Mingi felt bad for the youngest, but he had not meant to; he just got too excited when Jongho had told him that they were less than a day away from reaching the castle grounds. 

The brunette had missed seeing his friends, given how he rarely found the time to visit the palace. He already had his hands full with taking care of the orphanage, not that he minded. The children he met became his second family, another family he wanted to protect and care for with his life. Mingi treasured them with as much compassion as he did with his friends. 

Besides, for someone that preferred a modest lifestyle in the village, Mingi felt like he did not belong in a life of luxury or royalty. He knew Hongjoong's offer of a palace job and accommodations still stood until today, but he always declined in favour of living in the village and looking after the orphanage. 

The village he lived in now strongly resembled the one the eight of them grew up in. 

"Hyung!" Jongho's voice cut through Mingi's reminiscing as he looked to see the red/black haired male stab the wild pig before gazing up at the brunette. Mingi sighed in relief before hopping down from the tree, scratching his head sheepishly as the youngest raised his eyebrows at him. “Thanks, Jongho, uh, I appreciate it.” Jongho simply shook his head and sheathed his sword; Mingi noticed that the sword was blue and white, shimmering under the rising sun. Ah, Mingi thought, that is the sword that Seonghwa-hyung gave him when he got knighted. I wonder how Seonghwa-hyung and the others are doing; it has been awhile since I last visited. 

Jongho cleared his throat, catching Mingi off-guard, before he spoke up. “Hyung, you have not changed since the last time I saw you,” he said, giving a small smile. “Still managed to cause chaos in the strangest situations.” Mingi guffawed at the black/red haired knight’s words, as said knight began picking up their belongings that got thrown around amidst the chaos. 

“W-well, I see that you have not changed either, Jongho,” Mingi huffed, crossing his arms and pouting. “I swear, you better still tease the others like this too!” Jongho had his back turned, walking, but the brunette could see the knight’s shoulders shaking in contained laughter. “Yah! Show some respect!” 

“Hyung, we should be on our way, if we want to make it before late afternoon.” 

“Ah, really?! Hey, wait up Jongho! Don’t leave me here, the pigs might come back!” Mingi shouted, chasing after the other while grabbing his scattered belongings. “Yah! Wait up! Choi Jongho, you better not ditch me!” 

\--- A Few Hours Later --- 

By the time the two of them arrived at the long, pristine white and golden gilded doors of the castle, it was midday, the sun still shining brightly in the sky. Mingi looked around as Jongho spoke to one of the palace guards. Once the guards verified Jongho and Mingi’s identities, they were led through the long hallways towards the Although it had been almost over a year since he been here, Mingi noticed how everything remained the same: the garden still neatly trimmed, flowers in full bloom and nestled comfortably in bushes and large patches of green. The smell of baked pastries and savoury meats emanated from the kitchen, and the chatter of servants as they ran about with their duties. 

The brunette wondered if the others were around; knowing how busy the two oldest hyungs were, there was a high chance they were cooped up in the throne room, doing loads of paperwork and joking with each other. Yeosang was likely in his study, looking at maps and other navy related items in preparation for some expedition; Wooyoung was probably stuck at the Tower, complaining to San about…whatever it was mages complained about. That only left Yunho, the palace healer, and Mingi’s close friend. Despite the eight of them being close with each other, he and the healer knew each other prior to meeting the others in the village, practically growing up in the same household. Mingi’s parents were traders that had settled next door to Yunho’s, impoverished and barely scraping by. Yunho’s parents looked after Mingi while his parents visited other villages to trade for goods, leaving plenty of time for the two boys to grow close. The two had dreamed of leaving the village, wanting to see what the rest of the world had to offer; the stories Yunho’s mother would tell them were filled with adventure and mystery, filled with knights that fought and protected the kingdom, festivals, and other celebrations, as well as magic and fanciful illusions. 

However, that dream began to dim, as life for Mingi began to darken the day his parents never came home. The brunette recalled that it had been almost a week and no sign or letter from his parents indicating any extended absence; Mingi’s parents never spent more than a few days travelling and trading, eventually returning home to Mingi with souvenirs and books for Yunho and him to read. 

Yunho’s father was the one to receive the news that one winter day, from a bored looking knight in dull armor: the village that Mingi’s parents were visiting had been pillaged by bandits. The village itself had been burned down entirely, set ablaze with rum and a matchstick…reduced to nothing but ashy remains. Knights had been dispatched a week later of the attack, to search the area for signs of life; they found no survivors. Mingi could remember the anger he felt when the knight dismissed the questions Yuhno’s father asked: why did it take so long for the knights to be dispatched? Yunho had to hold Mingi back as he threw himself at the knight, clawing in frustration and grief, screaming. Why hadn’t the knights come sooner? The village had been burning for days, yet the king did nothing but wait for everyone in the village to die. What kind of cruel ruler just leaves his people to fend for themselves, throws them away if he thinks they are not worth saving? 

Mingi hated the king with a newfound passion, wanting nothing to do with the rest of the royal family as well. Although he had heard horrible things about them, his parents’ deaths were what consolidated Mingi’s impression of the royals: they were selfish, cruel and unrelenting in their ways, murderous and uncaring for their own people. Mingi wanted nothing more than to remain in the village with Yunho and his parents, safe and no longer desiring a life of adventure and fighting. When he told Yunho these thoughts, the healer had smiled sadly and hugged Mingi tightly. “Maybe one day, we’ll find a new dream together then.” 

A new dream eventually was formed, a year or two later, when they came across six other boys. When Mingi first met them, he was distrustful, especially when he realized that one of them was of royal lineage. He refused to talk with them, wanting to avoid them at all costs. Yunho however, helped coax the brunette to play with the others. But it was the eldest hyung that finally pulled Mingi out of his slump. Seonghwa, being a year older than him and the rest of the boys (aside from Hongjoong), had sat down and listened to Mingi’s frustrations, his anger at the world, silent but attentive. He did not force Mingi to talk with Hongjoong, but merely said, “it seems we all have our own stories to tell. Would you hear ours as well?” The eldest quietly held out a hand towards Mingi, eyes earnest and understanding, despite being only twelve years old at the time. Mingi never once regretted the moment he took Seonghwa’s hand, allowing himself some hope for happiness in his life, and closure for his anger and grief. 

Mingi created his new dream, based on the times the eight of them ran across the beach and played in the forest on the outskirts of the village. He wanted to start a new life for himself, helping others who were suddenly orphaned like he was. He recalled Yeosang talking about the waves lapping at their knees as they all ran around, and Yeosang telling Mingi and the others about how he dreamt of the eight of them sailing away from all of their troubles. Of course, Mingi also shared his dream with the others after hearing Yeosang's, the others all excited about it. Yuhno had smiled brightly as Wooyoung and San tackled him with hugs, Yeosang telling them to hold back, Jongho pumping his fists excitedly and Hongjoong and Seonghwa looking at the rest of them fondly. For Mingi, it was a memory where the eight of them followed the flow of time, holding each other's hands as they sped along the coast, enjoying the peaceful days that came and went, much like the waves splashing gently against the golden sand of the beach.

Mingi heard his name being called just before a mob of mint hair tackled into him, arms squeezing his entire body tightly. “Welcome back Mingi! You really got to visit the palace more!” Mingi pulled away to give a wide grin to the healer as he faked a groan of pain. “Yunho, you haven’t changed at all with your hugs! I thought I was going to die there suddenly! And when I made it all the way here to see you all!” 

The healer smiled happily as he wrapped his arms around the brunette. “Don’t worry, I can always prescribe medicine for your muscles, you always somehow broke a few bones doing something random.” Mingi huffed as he pretended to be offended. 

“Excuse me? First Jongho, now you? I got chased by a bunch of pigs this morning, give me a break,” Mingi complained. Yunho raised his eyebrows in amusement as he led Mingi towards his room, out of prying eyes. “I am interested to know how that happened. Wish I asked Jongho earlier.” It was then that Mingi noticed that the youngest had disappeared. Mingi gave a questioning look to Yunho, who laughed happily. 

“While you were thinking to yourself, Jongho decided to go to Honjoong-hyung and Seonghwa-hyung,” the healer explained, motioning towards the corridor that led to the throne room. “I came just in time to see him waving his hands in front of your face, just for his to give up and go ahead without you. What were you thinking about for you to space out like that?” 

Mingi felt his ears go red with embarrassment. “Err, just about the past,” he murmured, looking towards Yunho, who blinked at him in surprise. “Like the first time we met everyone in the village…speaking of which, how is everyone doing? Are Hongjoong-hyung and Seonghwa-hyung busy?” Reminiscing about the past made Mingi want to see his hyungs; he was not so sure, but he felt some urge to check up on them especially. At Mingi’s question, Yunho hesitated before tugging on Mingi’s hand. Mingi let the healer drag him until they were in the infirmary, where Yunho proceeded to close the blinds, and lock the door, after hanging a closed sign on the outside of the door. 

Mingi stared at his friend in confusion, dumbfounded at the behaviour. Yuhno had never looked so serious before, unless it was something urgent he had to say. “Yunho, you okay?” 

Yunho turned towards Mingi, before letting out a soft sigh and smiled tentatively. “I am, and so are the others, but there’s something bothering Seonghwa-hyung.” At the mention of the eldest’s name, Mingi started shooting off questions. “Is hyung alright? Did he get hurt? Did something happen with him and Hongjoong-hyung?” 

Yunho shook his head, and for once, the healer looked nervous, a look that Mingi was not too fond of seeing on his friend’s face. That also meant that something was definitely wrong with their hyung, which made Mingi more than ready to find Seonghwa, titles and etiquette a distant thought. Yuhno looked at Mingi and spoke quietly but his words held a lot of weight. “Seonghwa-hyung was having anxiety attacks a few days ago, and he’s also acting different around all of us, especially with Hongjoong-hyung.” 

Mingi blinked. “How different?” Yunho fiddled around with one of the pens in his pocket as he continued. “He started acting formal around everyone, Mingi; he doesn’t call us by our nicknames anymore, and he’s been distant, like he wants to avoid us.” This caught Mingi’s attention; the eldest always looked after all of them, teasing them and listening to their concerns, as well as spending time with everyone despite the advisor’s busy schedule. “This is…” Strange, Mingi wanted to say placing his head in his hands as he tried to figure things out. It was all disorienting and confusing. What had happened to his hyung while he was away from the palace? Did it have something to do with the strange feeling he had felt earlier about his hyungs? 

Yunho’s next words made Mingi’s blood freeze. “There’s something else Mingi… something I haven’t told any of the others yet, not even Seonghwa-hyung himself.” Mingi’s head shot up as he looked at the healer with shock. “What do you mean?” Yunho went over and sat down on one of the infirmary beds, patting the empty spot beside him. “You should sit down for this.” 

Mingi walked over and sat down, heart thrumming nervously against his chest. “Why are you telling me this? Wouldn’t it be better to tell hyung himself, or at least the others?” Yunho shook his head before giving a sad smile. “It’s more because I need your advice on whether I should tell the others. Mingi, I honestly don’t know what to do, I don’t know if I can help Seonghwa-hyung.” 

Mingi reached out a hand to grasp Yunho’s. “Don’t think like that, Yunho,” he said, giving his hand a squeeze. “If it is something you don’t know, we can deal with it together; and I mean with the eight of us, not just me and you, but with the others too. Do not try to do things alone. ‘Eight makes one team, remember?” 

Yunho blinked before making a genuinely happy smile. “Thanks Mingi, I really needed that,” he laughed. Mingi returned the smile with a smile of his own, along with a thumbs up. “So, what is it that we need to help our hyung?” 

Yunho took a deep breath and spoke, serious tone returning. “I did a check up on Seonghwa-hyung, when he first started having panic attacks. I didn’t find anything wrong physically, but…” 

“But?...” Mingi prompted, giving his full attention to the healer. Yunho thought for a moment before continuing. 

“Usually, people emanate a sort of aura that only healers and empaths can see, one that indicates a person’s health, their abilities, and physical strengths and weaknesses,” Yunho explained, looking like he was trying not to confuse Mingi. Mingi nodded, motioning for the other to continue. “Yeah, you explained that to me when we were younger. Something to do with how we were born from the earth or elements, right?” 

Yunho nodded, smiling as he placed a hand on Mingi’s face gently. “Exactly, which allows healers to examine a person’s injuries and cure them. For instance, I can see your aura is bright orange, showing that you’re healthy, aside from a few bruises on your ankles, probably from climbing or something similar, right?” Mingi stared in amazement as he exclaimed, “Wow, I didn’t even show you and you figured that out from one touch? That’s awesome!” Yunho grinned at Mingi’s excitement. “Wait, does that mean everyone has an aura? You said they can be different colours, right?” 

“Yeah, they can be different colours, depending on race, gender, and environment,” Yunho answered, giving Mingi a nervous look. “All living things have an aura of some sort, which helps us identify living creatures from the dead. Plants and animals have auras too since they’re alive, inanimate objects, or dead bodies won’t have bright or colourful auras; often they would have…a black cloud surrounding them sometimes, or nothing at all.” 

Yunho’s tone when he spoke sounded off. Mingi instantly knew something was wrong, with that as well as the look Yunho had on his face. “Wait…you said you did an examination of Seonghwa-hyung, right Yunho?” Dread began to creep up on the brunette…Suddenly he pieced together what Yunho was silently implying to him. Mingi felt sick to his stomach; there’s no way that there was something this wrong with their hyung, Mingi couldn’t believe it. The gravity of the situation made Mingi wished that he had spent more time dreaming of sailing away from the palace, taking his friends, his family, with him. “You’re not actually saying that…” 

Yunho looked at Mingi, making Mingi trail off. His next words only confirmed Mingi’s suspicions. “Black…All I could see, all I could feel, was a cold, black cloud surrounding Seonghwa-hyung, Mingi. And…I don’t know why.” 

= Yeosang P.O.V. =

Yeosang was at work in his study, carefully examining the map in front of him. He drew a dotted black line from one location to another on the piece of paper, quill expertly moving the ink across territory to territory.

Yeosang was close to finishing mapping out the route for his secret expedition. In a few weeks he would off, sailing across the ocean towards his destination. There was no doubt that Yeosang enjoyed the sea; the white haired male always dreamt of spending his life at sea, exploring uncharted territory. To him, there was little about the sea that tied Yeosang down, a freedom that the palace couldn't grant him.

Though this time, Yeosang had a mission for this new exploration. The navigator needed to find a sustainable resource for Aurora; the harvest was slowly getting worst by the year, and Yeosang could tell it was taking a toll on the people, as well as on his hyung. Seonghwa, although he didn't show it often, had been clearly worried about the droughts and lack of crops this year. Along with the previous harvests, things were only going to get worst for the farmers and agriculture in Aurora. 

The white haired male had been planning this for awhile. He had been quietly asking around for information on any uncharted and unclaimed territory near Aurora, in hopes of finding untouched resources (minerals, farmland, magic, etc.) that will allow the villages to better sustain themselves during the winter.

Just as the navigator was about to lose hope, he had discovered one small area near the Northwest coast of the kingdom's territory, with an environment that was ideal for mining crystals and seedlings due to the rocky coves and rich mineral soils. Although small, it would likely be enough to help Aurora for the next few years, until they could find alternative ways to help the villages. 

Yeosang was preparing all the paperwork and other plans in order to get Seonghwa's and Hongjoong's support and permission. He knew that the advisor was doing everything he could to solve the problem while not bringing it up to Hongjoong, not wanting to burden the ruler with another responsibility. But it also meant Seonghwa taking on the lives of many people on Aurora, to which the advisor was likely wearing himself thin. So Yeosang wanted to help his hyung in the best way that he could: on the sea.

It was Seonghwa and Hongjoong that allowed Yeosang to find a family and a place to truly call home. Growing up in a sheltered life as a nobleman's son left Yeosang with a restricted and trapped life, a mere puppet controlled with strings by his parents, to appease their own greed and desires.

Yeosang was...beaten everytime he hesitated to obey his parents' every word. The worst part was when the white haired male would be locked up in his room, the windows and doors boarded, leaving Yeosang completely in the dark, alone, and begging for forgiveness for his parents. Eventually, Yeosang buried his emotions away, choosing to feel less in order to survive.

Everytime he was called upon his responses were always the same. "Yes, mother, yes father...Whether makes you happy makes me happy." He was a broken record, an empty shell where Yeosang himself no longer had the will to exist, only wishing for salvation from his own misery.

It wasn't until Yeosang met his hyungs that he would find a reason to live again. It was one night, where he was waiting for his parents outside another noble's lavish mansion. Yeosang had been engaged to that noble's sixteen year old daughter, when Yeosang himself was eleven at the time. The navigator had been staring blankly at the wall of the mansion when he saw Hongjoong and Seonghwa run pass him, looking to be in a rush. Yeosang remembered that he had not cared, until Seonghwa stopped and walked back to Yeosang quietly holding out a hand. Yeosang stared blankly at it, unmoving. 

"Do you want to come with us?" His hyung had asked, tilting his head slightly. Yeosang had blinked in confusion, unsure of what to make of the two. "Why would I go with two strangers to somewhere unknown?" He had asked.

Seonghwa had simply smiled to Yeosang's surprise, his next words slowly piercing through the strings that have long since controlled Yeosang. "You seem to be looking for your treasure...a reason to live again...If you like, let's do that together."

Once Yeosang took the eldest's hand, it felt like he could breath again. That night, he ran away from his old life, and started a new one with his hyungs. From there, their group grew larger over time. Wooyoung had been the next addition to the group, the mage's outgoing and loud personality slowly pulling Yeosang out of his shell; once San joined, Yeosang felt alive, no longer just existing for his parents' sake, but for his own, as well as for his newfound brothers.

If not for Seonghwa offering his hand that night, Yeosang couldn't imagine any other life without his friends. He probably would have continued acting like a puppet for his parents, and would have never discovered his passion for navigating or his live of the ocean air and clear seas.

That was why the success of this expedition was crucial to the navigator, not just for his sake or for Aurora, but also to help his hyung, who had helped Yeosang find meaning, to find his treasure, in his own life.

A knock caused Yeosang to lift his head from the maps strewn across the table, pulling his thoughts away from the past. "Come in," he said, quickly rolling up the maps and hiding them behind his desk just as the door opened. To his surprise, Seonghwa walked in, a stack of books in his hands, as he came up to Yeosang's desk with a small smile.

"Hyung," Yeosang said, feeling both curious and slightly happy to see the eldest in his study. "Do you need my help with something?" It was not everyday Seonghwa would come in with such a large number of books in tow. Also, Yeosang noticed that the advisor looked slightly nervous, setting the books down on the desk while adjusting his clothes with fluttering fingers.

Seonghwa looked at Yeosang with an unreadable expression on his face. "Actually, I was hoping I could help you with something instead. If anything, it's more of a request." The eldest answered, words cryptic. Yeosang blinked as the advisor opened one of the books to show Yeosang; the opened page talked about different farming methods for various climates. The navigator was startled, and looked at the other books Seonghwa had brought; they were all about agriculture, fishing, and mining. As Yeosang skimmed through the first book, he saw that some of the methods mentioned were ones he had not heard of before; there were crops listed that were unfamiliar to him as well.

Wait, is this? Yeosang looked up, staring at Seonghwa with curiousity and shock. The eldest cleared his throat and spike softly. "With these, there's no need to look for new resources. I have a feeling that one of these books can give us an alternative means of sustaining he villages during the winter. Of course, I think it would be easier if the two of us take a look together before discussing it with Hongjoong."

Yeosang was at a loss of words. Judging by Seonghwa's words, it felt like the eldest already knew or sensed his plan of going to the Northwest coastal area. But Yeosang had thought he'd hidden it well, that the eldest hadn't suspected anything out of the ordinary. A surge of guilt washed over Yeosang as he looked at the eldest's sincere eyes. "Hyung, I..."

Before he could coherently voice his thoughts, Seonghwa reached out and placed his hand on Yeosang's shoulder, not in a threatening way, but gently, as a sign of comfort. The advisor's hand was as warm as his words. "Yeosangie, I don't want to hide anything from you, nor do I want you to take on the burden yourself. I want us to solve this problem together. If you need to tell me anything, tell me when you feel comfortable to do so. For now, shall we start looking through these first?"

Yeosang realized then, that although Seonghwa had been going through a rough time and seemed to have a lot on his mind, he was still Seonghwa. Seonghwa, who seemed to know what to say to comfort everyone, who never pushed for answers or results. Rather, Seonghwa, as Yeosang had realised then and now, was someone who truly cared for his family, who cherished them all regardless of their past, their mistakes, or their secrets. Cause the eldest trusted them. Yeosang could never bring himself to break that trust between them and their hyung.

The navigator found himself giving a rare smile to Seonghwa as he nodded, picking up one of the large books from the stack. "Let's start with crop rotation, since it's the most adjustable hyung," to which Seonghwa gave Yeosang an approving nod as the navigator continued. "Then we can move on to fishing..." 


End file.
